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THE JOBBING GARDENER. 



^Frontispiece 



A 

YEAR'S GARDENING 



BY 

BASIL HARGRAVE 



FULLY ILLUSTRATED 



NEW YORK : CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
LONDON : T. WERNER LAURIE 






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CONTENTS 

PAGE 

A Calendar giving a Series of Jobs for Each Day in 

THE Year ........ l 

Alpine, Rock and Wall Gardens .... 107 

The Wild Garden and the Spring Garden . , . 112 

Gardening in Window - boxes, Ornamental Pots, Tubs 

AND Bowls . . . . . . .116 

Lawns : Their Making, Maintaining and Renovation . 121 

Fruit Trees : Their Planting, Training, Pruning and 

Renovation . . . . . . .128 

Bush Fruit : Gooseberries, Currants and Raspberries . 136 

Fruit Destroyers and Garden Pests . . . .140 

The Vegetable Garden Month by Month . . . 147 

An Alphabetical and Descriptive List of Flowers, with 

Hints on their Cultivation . . . -173 

Index ......... 267 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



The Jobbing Gardener .... 

Ferns in a Coppice Ride .... 

Our Week-end Cottage— As We Found It . 

Our Week-end Cottage— Two Years Later . 

A Garden in the Making — Pergola and Spring 
Garden (First Stage) .... 

A Garden in the Making — Pergola and Spring 
Garden Two Years Later .... 

Midsummer in the Garden .... 

Our Week-end Cottage — The Path to the Front- 
door ....... 

Our Week-end Cottage— The Porch at the Side- 
door ....... 

Our Week-end Cottage— A Border of Hollyhocks 
Our Week-end Cottage— Entrance to the Pergola 

In a Country Garden — The Bridge, with Glimpse 
OF Herbaceous Border .... 

Shrubs at Wisley ...... 

In the Wild Garden— A Rose left to its Own 
Sweet Will ...... 

In a Country Garden— A Glimpse of Stream, Beech- 
trees AND Drive . . . . . 

Steps to the Rock Garden — "Sicily in England". 

In the Rock Garden — Double White Arabis 

Nature's Garden — Wild Roses .... 

In the Wild Garden — Wisley .... 

A Cottager's Garden ..... 

In a Country Garden — Massed Rhododendrons 

BACKED BY YEW AND WeEPING ASH 

vii 



Frontispiece 

Tq face page 8 

20 



34 

34 
48 

58 

58 
68 
68 

78 



98 
106 
108 
108 
112 
116 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



In a Country Garden — Herbaceous Border and 
Rhododendron Bed sloping to Stream . To 

A Water-side Path 

An Avenue of Pines 

A Water-lily Pool 

When Men Built Stately Houses 

Apennine Anemones in Grass 

White Campanula {PersicifoUa grandiflora) 

A Good Beginning — Spring Border and Rock 
Garden ....... 

In a Country Garden— Grass Path bordered by 
Delphiniums ...... 

In a Country Garden— A Wild Border of Foxgloves 

In the Wild Garden— A Typical View 

In a Suburban Garden— Madonna Lilies 

In a Suburban Garden— Euphrosyne Rose over 
Arbour ....... 

In a Country Garden — Tree Lupin Grown from 
Seed ....... 

In a Suburban Garden — Bush of White Michaelmas 
Daisies ....... 

In a Suburban Garden— A Fine Clump of Iris 

P^ONY {Carnea Elegans Triumphans) — Pink Petals 
AND Sulphur-coloured Centres 

SPiRiEA (5. Thunbergi) — Spring-flowering : Crimson 
Leaves in Autumn ..... 

A Wild Patch of Garden — Canterbury Bells, 
Campanulas and Sweet-Williams . 

In a Suburban Garden— A Wild Corner- 
Clipped Yews at Leven's Hall . 
SpiRiEA by the Pathway . 
A Woodland Bog Garden 



face page 


126 






136 






146 






160 






172 






178 
186 



186 

198 
198 

212 
222 



224 

228 
228 

234 







236 


OPPIES . 




236 






246 






254 






258 



A CALENDAR 

GIVING A SERIES OF JOBS FOR EACH 
DAY IN THE YEAR 



JANUARY I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Wash roof and sides of the house to 
remove accumulated soot and dirt; see that the coverings for hghts 
are in proper condition. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Walk round the garden and con- 
sider what are the best arrangements for the coming year. Look 
over seeds in hand and make a list of what must be ordered. 

Flower Garden. — Take a general survey, bearing in mind last 
year's effect, and decide if any alterations are required in shape and 
size of flower-beds, paths, etc. 

JANUARY 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-arrange plants in house if necessary. 
Bulbs for early flowering should be placed in a warm and sheltered 
position. Sow Kidney Beans in 4-in. pots in a hot-bed made as if 
for Cucumbers. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look through tools and decide what 
must be replaced or repaired. Look through seed potatoes and other 
roots. 

Flower Garden. — Examine the lawns and see if anything has been 
neglected in the autumn renovation. 

JANUARY 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Clear up all litter on floor and shelves of 
house and remove dead leaves from plants. Sow Early Horn 
Carrots in a hot-bed. 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look through pea-sticks and 
stakes and decide what further supply will be needed. 

Flower Garden. — Gently stir with a small fork the surface of the 
beds stocked with herbaceous plants. 

JANUARY 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the heap of compost for spring 
potting and see that it is thoroughly dry. Sow Radishes for suc- 
cession in frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Collect and burn all refuse and 
rubbish, storing the ashes in a dry place for future use. 

Flower Garden. — If any beds intended for bedding-out plants 
have not been manured they should be done now. 

JANUARY 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Wash and dry pots which will be 
required, and prepare stakes, labels, etc. Sow Early Peas in 4-in. 
pots placed in a frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If any ground still needs trenching 
and manuring start to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Crocuses and any other hardy bulbs to 
succeed those planted in the autumn. 

JANUARY 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prepare hot-beds for forcing Sea-kale. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue digging and preparing 
ground. 

Flower Garden. — Where autumn-planted bulbs are beginning to 
show, protect them from frost with light litter. 

JANUARY 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look over all the plants in house and 
exterminate vermin of any kind. Beware of mildew — free ventila- 
tion is the remedy. 

2 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prepare a piece of ground for 
sowing Parsnips. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the paths and decide whether the gravel 
must be renewed or turned, and act accordingly. 

JANUARY 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look through Azaleas and advance 
them by greater heat, if required. Plant Potatoes in frame for an 
early crop. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — In a warm dry soil make first 
sowing of Early Long-pod Broad Beans. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the repair of gravel paths. 

JANUARY 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look through Cinerarias; if large 
plants are required, transplant into larger pots and pinch off tops to 
produce bushy heads. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Put a fresh top-dressing of half- 
rotted manure on Asparagus bed. 

Flower Garden. — Prune Honeysuckle and cut out old and de- 
cayed branches from Lilac bushes, but do not interfere with last 
year's shoots. 

JANUARY 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of tuberous Begonias, 
Fuchsias and Pelargoniums. Sow Cucumber seeds in hot-bed for 
bearing in three months' time. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a small sowing of Early Peas 
in a favourable spot. 

Flower Garden. — Nail and train creepers to wall and fences where 
they require it. 

JANUARY II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Gloxinias for flowering 
the same season, and proceed with potting off singly all cuttings 
of Geraniums, Verbenas, etc., now in store-pots. 

3 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look through early-grown Broccoli 
and take up any that is nearly fit for use, storing it in a shed so as to 
preserve from frost. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Rock Garden and make any 
structural repairs that may be desirable. 

JANUARY 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Tomatoes for producing 
plants for fruiting indoors, and plant Sea-kale in hot-bed already 
prepared. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If weather and soU be favourable, 
sow, in a warm border, a little of an early variety of Carrot and 
Turnip seed. 

Flower Garden. — Look over carefully the individual plants in 
the Rock Garden and divide or re-arrange them in more suitable 
positions where required. 

JANUARY 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look through Calceolarias and prick 
off those sown for late autumn blooming. Sow Cos Lettuce in hot- 
bed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If the weather continues open, risk 
sowing a few Onions and Radishes for salads; also a little Parsley. 

Flower Garden. — Plant groups of Primroses, Polyanthus and 
Daisies to fiU up vacant spaces on rough banks or in the wild garden. 

JANUARY 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Shift into larger pots those Calceolaria 
seedlings which are sufficiently advanced. Take cuttings of pot 
Chrysanthemums. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Unless there is an appearance of 
immediate frost, make small sowings of Lettuce and Endive in a 
warm border, covering with a hand-light or some litter. 

Flower Garden. — Plant early flowering Gladioli and German 
Irises in suitable groups. 

4 



A CALENDAR 

JANUARY 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Start a few Strawberry plants in pots 
in a cool corner of the house. Make a sowing of Broad Beans in the 
frame for an early crop. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Examine full-grown plants of 
Endive and protect them with slates or tiles, further covering them 
with litter to blanch them. 

Flower Garden. — Plant hardy creepers wherever they may be 
desirable. 

JANUARY 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Cucumber seeds in the house in a 
temperature of 65° to 70°. Introduce a few stools of Rhubarb under 
the staging of the house for forcing. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Gather up dead leaves, remove 
stumps of Cabbage, etc, and hoe up weeds among the growing 
crops. 

Flower Garden. — If top-dressing of lawns has not already been 
done, do it to-day. 

JANUARY 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Antirrhinum, Verbena 
and Petunia for planting out later. Uncover bulbs which have 
been stored and are beginning to show active growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Earth up any Celery which re- 
quires it. 

Flower Garden. — Give some attention to shrubberies by seeing 
that the ground is in good condition. If the soil be poor, apply 
a light dressing of manure and gently fork in with it the fallen leaves, 
but do not disturb the roots of the bushes. Deep digging is in- 
jurious. 

JANUARY 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Cyclamen, Carnation 
and Canna. Sow small salad (Mustard and Cress) round the edges 
of Carrots and Potatoes, or in a separate small frame. 

5 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Cover Sea-kale and Early Rhubarb 
with pots and further protect them with soil and leaves for blanching. 

Flower Garden. — Continue work in shrubbery and be sure that 
the fallen leaves are used as suggested in yesterday's directions; 
there is no better fertilizer than leaf manure. 



JANUARY 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look through Pelargoniums and shift 
into larger pots those which are strongly rooted. Stop some of the 
plants required for succession and thin out weak shoots. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If there are any young Peas coming 
up which were sown in October, give a mulching to protect the roots 
and cover them with light litter. 

Flower Garden. — Look to any newly-planted shrubs and see that 
their roots are protected from frost by manure or litter, if this has 
not already been done. 

JANUARY 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — If greenhouse mosses, such as Sela- 
ginellas, are grown, they may now be propagated by planting shoots 
half an inch apart in pans filled with compost of sandy loam and leaf 
mould. See that hot-beds are retaining proper heat; if not, put a 
lining of manure against the sides. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow two or three rows of Spinach 
between the rows of Peas and Beans. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the hedges — whether they are privet 
or thorn — and clear the bottom of all weeds and rubbish, pruning 
and trimming them where necessary. 



JANUARY 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Protect the expanding buds of Camellias ; 
give a dose of tepid manure water and S5n:inge the plants with warm 
water. Sow Lettuce and Endive seed in a hot-bed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift and divide Mint, re-planting 
it in fresh bed. 

6 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — If increase of flowering trees and shrubs be 
required, make use of any prunings from shrubberies and hedges, 
if the weather be favourable, by planting them in a reserve piece of 
ground. By the spring many of them will have taken root and be- 
come strong plants by the autumn. 

JANUARY 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Cut back old Fuchsias so as to induce 
them to shoot anew preparatory to re-potting. If space has not 
been found for Strawberry-plants in the house they may be put into 
pots and placed in a frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Attend to Strawberry bed. Gently 
loosen the earth between the plants with a small fork and mulch 
plentifully with long litter. 

Flower Garden. — Examine the plants in the herbaceous border 
and divide, where desirable, such hardy perennials as Michaelmas 
Daisies, Phloxes, Lupins, Sunflowers, Pyrethrums, etc. 

JANUARY 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Strike cuttings of any bedding plants 
which may be suitable for the purpose, giving gentle bottom heat 
in a moist atmosphere. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prune the hardier kind of fruit trees 
if the weather is open and free from severe frost. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare beds for planting Ranunculus and 
Poppy Anemones by deep digging and working in cow-dung or well- 
rotted other manure. 

JANUARY 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot crowns of Lily of the VaUey where 
they will have sufficient heat, in order that they may bloom in six 
or seven weeks' time. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's pruning 
operations. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's operations and plant 
tubers of Ranunculus, placing them claw-side downwards about 
2 inches deep and 4 inches apart. 

7 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

JANUARY 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prepare hot-bed for forcing 
Asparagus. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Mulch the ground around Goose- 
berry and Currant bushes with half-rotten manure. 

Flower Garden. — Complete the last two days' work by planting 
Poppy Anemones about 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart. 

JANUARY 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot corms of Gladiolus in compost of 
sandy loam and cover with cocoa-nut fibre. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Protect the buds of the Gooseberry 
and Currant bushes from the depredations of birds by winding black 
cotton among the branches of the bushes. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Carnations, and if they are be- 
ginning to make shoots, protect them from the attacks of birds by 
fixing a few sticks around them and by winding several strands of 
black cotton from stick to stick. 

JANUARY 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Fern spores in seed-pans, covering 
with piece of glass shaded by paper, as they germinate more quickly 
in the dark. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a fresh plantation of Rasp- 
berry canes. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Sweet Peas in a warm border for early 
flowering. 

JANUARY 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look through Ferns and pot any re- 
quiring it. Look to the Mushroom beds and see that they have 
sufficient covering to protect them from frost. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prune out-door Vines, unless al- 
ready done, as if longer deferred the sap will have begun to rise and 
the wounds made by pruning will be likely to bleed. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare beds for the main sowing of hardy 
annuals. 

8 



A CALENDAR 

JANUARY 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prune Roses, cutting back shoots to 
the nearest dormant bud. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Scions of Vines from yesterday's 
pruning should be put by the heels in a sheltered place for future 
grafting, if required. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Rose trees and prune back any 
which seem weakly. 

JANUARY 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give a top-dressing of manure to all 
Roses planted indoors, either in tubs or beds, and see that the soil 
is previously well loosened. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Decide if any old fruit trees are 
to be grafted in March, and if so, cut back their main branches to 
within 2 or 3 feet of their base. 

Flower Garden. — Fork over gently the Rose beds, taking care not 
to injure the roots, and draw up the earth round the dwarf Tea Roses 
so as to protect the base of shoots. 

JANUARY 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sponge the leaves of all foliage plants 
with tepid water, to which may be added a little milk to give a glossy 
surface. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look through Cabbages, planting 
out any which are ready and filling up gaps in autumn planting. 

Flower Garden. — Well manure the Rose beds. 

FEBRUARY i 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the roof of the house is clean 
— light, at this time of year, is of much value to the plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Go over the garden and dig up any 
patch of unweeded ground before the weeds begin to flower, and thus 
make them useful for manure. 

Flower Garden. — Plant and renovate edgings, such as Box, 
Thrift, London Pride, etc. 

9 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

FEBRUARY 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look through the plants in the house 
and wash the leaves of those which need it. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant Jerusalem Artichokes in any 
waste ground or corner of the garden which may be suitable for 
them. 

Flower Garden. — Top-dress hardy Ferns with leaf-mould or well- 
decayed manure. 

FEBRUARY 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a careful inspection for green-fly, 
especially on Calceolaria and Cineraria. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If the ground be dry enough, plant 
a few rows of Potatoes for an early crop. 

Flower Garden. — Top-dress Ivy grown as edging with loam and 
well-rotted manure. 

FEBRUARY 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Strawberry plants. They 
should now be put near the glass and given as much air as possible. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prune nut bushes — such as 
Filberts and Cobnuts — cutting away shoots or branches that have 
borne catkins only. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Herbaceous Phloxes, first digging soil 
two spits deep and putting in a layer of rotten manure between 
first and second spit. 

FEBRUARY 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a fresh potting of Strawberry 
plants for fruiting in April. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If the pruning of fruit trees was not 
completed last month it should now be done without delay. 

Flower Garden. — Attend to herbaceous borders, gently forking 
over the ground. Divide and re-arrange the plants where necessary. 

10 



A CALENDAR 

FEBRUARY 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the autumn-made cuttings 
and transplant them into the pots in which they are to flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Peach, Apricot and 
Nectarine trees, and un-nail and prune them one by one. 

Flower Garden. — Apply slaked lime to any vacant borders at 
the rate of a shovelful to the square yard. It will prove an excellent 
sweetener to the ground. 

FEBRUARY 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of all kinds of bedding- 
out plants which it is desired to propagate. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's task. 

Flower Garden. — Guard Crocuses, Tulips, Hyacinths, etc., from 
the attacks of mice, by plunging in the earth jars half filled with 
water to serve as traps; of sparrows, by spreading light netting; 
and of snaUs by laying down Cabbage leaves, which must be examined 
every night. 

FEBRUARY 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Chrysanthemum cuttings, 
as those which have made root should now be re-potted in light 
sandy soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Mulch the whole of the borders in 
which fruit trees are growing; just round the stems of the trees is 
insufficient. 

Flower Garden. — Sweep and roll turf and gravel to consolidate 
after frost. 

FEBRUARY 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove all dead wood from the climbers 
and train the new shoots into their proper places. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If Raspberry canes have not 
already been pruned they should be done now. 

Flower Garden. — Top-dress, turn, renew and re-lay the grass 
edgings of walks. 

II 



A YEAR'S GARDE:NING 

FEBRUARY lo 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove any bulbs which have flowered 
to take their rest in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If it is desired to make a new 
Strawberry bed, do it now. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the lawn and repair any bare patches 
by means of turf or seed. 

FEBRUARY ii 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow half-hardy annuals either in the 
house or a frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Broad Beans for early crops, 
choosing the driest and warmest situation. 

Flower Garden. — Prune the hardier kind of Roses. 

FEBRUARY 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the sowing of half-hardy 
annuals. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Early Peas for succession. 

Flower Garden. — Give a plentiful top-dressing to Roses and plant 
hardier kinds, if this has not already been done. 

FEBRUARY 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Nicotiana affinis. Verbena, Petunia 
and Lobeha, bearing in mind that a temperature of 65° to 70° is 
required for them. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look over Peas already coming up, 
and if in bad condition dig them in and sow again. Stick those that 
are doing well for further protection. 

Flower Garden. — Look to evergreen and deciduous shrubs, cut- 
ting away any dead twigs or branches with a sharp knife. If it be 
necessary to use a saw, smooth down the cut afterwards with the 
knife. 

12 



A CALENDAR 

FEBRUARY 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the Arum Lihes have a dose of 
liquid manure, and continue this for some time once or twice a week. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Parsnips in deeply-dug ground. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Ivy where required, also such shrubs as 
Box, Cypress, Ribes, etc. The green-leaved Ivy will thrive in any 
aspect, but the variegated sort prefers a west or jiorth aspect. 

FEBRUARY 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Tomatoes in pans and 
apply water carefully day by day untU the young plants appear. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Lettuce on a warm border and 
plant out from frames any that may be ready for removal. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing of Sweet Peas for succession. 

FEBRUARY 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Thin and train the shoots of Pelar- 
goniums. See that aU forced and protected crops have sufficient 
air. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make fresh plantation of Rhubarb 
by dividing old stools, taking care to leave untouched enough for 
use during coming season. 

Flower Garden. — Sow the hardier kind of annuals if the weather 
be suitable. 

FEBRUARY 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Stir the surface round such plants as 
Cauliflowers, Lettuces, etc., in frames, and dress the soil with soot 
and lime to destroy slugs. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a new bed for Sea-kale in 
rows about 2 ft. 6 in. apart. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the beds of hardy annuals and 
biennials sown last summer and weed them, if necessary, giving the 
young plants a mulching of light manure to protect them and to 
strengthen them for blooming later. 

13 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

FEBRUARY i8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Nip off the buds of any forced Potatoes 
which are inclined to run too much to top growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a thicker covering to Rhubarb 
and Sea-kale as they begin to push naturally. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's task and take note which 
of the young plants require to be transferred to the flower-border, 
so as to seize the first favourable opportunity for transplanting them. 

FEBRUARY 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-pot Calceolarias and Cinerarias 
which are in frames and remove them to the greenhouse to flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Savoys on a mellow seed-bed 
and Turnips on a warm border. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing of Anemones (they are easily 
raised from seed) in a rich, moist, hght soil, covering the seed very 
lightly. Seed now sown should produce plants for blooming in 
September or October. 

FEBRUARY 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Place Dahlia roots in heat to excite 
growth for future cuttings. Sow Carrots for succession on a light 
hot-bed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Broccoli on a sheltered border, 
and look to those which are already growing, seeing that they are 
well protected from frost. Cut any that may be ready. 

Flower Garden. — Lift untidy edgings of Violas and unwieldy 
clumps of Pansies, dividing and re-planting them. 

FEBRUARY 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the heat of the Cucumber bed 
is not falling below 70°, and if necessary maintain temperature by 
applying a fresh lining. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a dusting of lime between the 
rows of Cabbages to prevent the attacks of slugs. Fill up the rows 
where necessary. 

14 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Divide and re-plant clumps of Polyanthus and 
Primrose. 

FEBRUARY 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the setting of the Cucumbers, 
allowing not more than one or two to grow on a plant at the same 
time. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If additional Fruit trees are re- 
quired, sow seeds of Quince and Medlar in suitable positions, allowing 
the seeds to be i inch deep in the soil and 6 inches apart. 

Flower Gaiden. — Plant slips of Lavender in a sunny position. 

FEBRUARY 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Ridge Cucumber, 
Capsicum and Vegetable Marrow in pots, and place in a frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Mulberry trees may be propagated 
at this time. Insert a branch some 2 feet long in a shady border. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Clematis, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Virginia 
Creeper or Ampelopsis where they will be an improvement. 

FEBRUARY 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Cauliflowers, Lettuce, 
Cabbage, Onions and Beet in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Examine stocks of Fruit trees 
which are to be grafted this year, and if the sap is well risen make 
grafts at once. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Periwinkle and St John's-wort on any 
ground rendered bare by the shade or drip from trees. 

FEBRUARY 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Put a few roots of Mint, Parsley, 
Horseradish and Chicory in pots and place in heat. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Stocks for Apple, Pear, Plum and 
Cherry trees may be planted at this time of year. Lift the suckers 
from the old trees and re-plant them 2 feet apart, and they should be 
ready for grafting the following year. 

15 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Plant Hollyhocks, Sweet Williams, Canterbury 
Bells, Delphiniums and Peonies; the last in richly-manured ground, 
as they are gross feeders. 

FEBRUARY 26 

Greenhouse and Frames, — Sow Early Peas and French Beans in 
a frame for succession. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Syringe Gooseberry and Currant 
bushes with a solution of lime and soot as an additional protection 
of the buds from the attacks of birds. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Alpine Auricula, White Arabis and Purple 
Aubrietia in suitable positions in Rock Garden. 

FEBRUARY 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Dahlia seeds in the house in a 
shallow box filled with light sandy loam, pressing it firm and covering 
the seeds thinly. Keep the seeds moist and shaded from the sun 
in a temperature of 55° to 60°. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Onions and Leeks on a warm 
border and plant Garlick in rich soil 9 inches apart. 

Flower Garden. — Do not neglect the rolling of the lawn ; frequent 
cross-rolling with a light roller is most desirable after the winter's 
frosts. 

FEBRUARY 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — -Solomon's Seal [Polygonatum) well 
repays forcing and makes a decorative plant for the greenhouse. 
Lift a few roots from the open and re-plant in suitable pots. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Carrots (short-horn) on a 
sunny border; also Red-beet and Spinach-beet. 

Flower Garden. — Roll the gravel paths; they generally need it 
about this time of year to consolidate them after the upheaval 
caused by frost. 

MARCH I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give a top-dressing of loam and 
decayed cow-manure to Auriculas and see that they have plenty of 

16 



A CALENDAR 

water, as they should now be throwing up their flower stems. Also 
sow seeds of Auricula and Polyanthus. Also sow a small quantity 
of Celery seed on a mild hot-bed, to be pricked out as soon as ready., 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Peas for succession, allowing 
room for Cabbages and Potatoes between the rows. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Sweet Peas for succession. 



MARCH 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Shift Azaleas and Camellias into larger 
pots if they have flowered or are forming new growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a principal sowing of Broad 
Beans. 

Flower Garden. — Stir the soil round the autumn-sown annuals 
and manure the beds that are to contain the bedding plants later. 

MARCH 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Proceed with the shifting of all plants 
requiring it. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Cabbage seed broadcast on a 
warm, sheltered bed; also Broccoli and Winter Greens of all sorts. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out Gladiolus bulbs lifted last autumn. 
They should have a rich soil. 

MARCH 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — If the greenhouse faces south, see that 
it is properly shaded from the mid-day sun. Plant Chicory in a hot- 
bed, bearing in mind that it has to be blanched by excluding the 
light. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow a small quantity of Carrot 
seed on ground that has been deeply dug in the autumn. Also sow 
Cardoon seed in a warm spot. 

Flower Garden. — Look over the gravel paths to see if they need 
turning or re-gravelling, and start work on them if required. 
B 17 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

MARCH 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of Dahlias from stools 
which were placed in heat last month. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Onions and Leeks in rich, well- 
manured soil. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work begun yesterday and finish 
by roUing the paths thoroughly. 

MARCH 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prepare a slight hot-bed for forcing 
Asparagus and sow seeds of Vegetable Marrow in pots for the frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Transplant from hand-lights and 
frames young plants of Cauliflower, Lettuce, etc. 

Flower Garden. — Examine the lawn for weeds and moss and take 
measures to eradicate them. Moss is an unfailing sign of lack of 
drainage or poverty of soil. 

MARCH 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Cucumber and Melon in 
pots, for placing in any hot-bed in which space can be found. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to plant out from the 
frames to-day and during any suitable weather. 

Flower Garden. — Attend to Box edgings of beds and borders and 
re-plant where necessary. 

MARCH 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a new sowing, either in a frame 
or in the open, of Mustard and Cress, Radishes, etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow all kinds of Lettuce seed in 
well-manured ground. 

Flower Garden. — Finish off any pruning and training of climbers 
— such as Clematis, Jasmine, etc. — which may still remain to be 
done. 

i8 



A CALENDAR 

MARCH 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a first sowing, either in pans in 
the house or on a hot-bed, of some half-hardy annuals. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Spinach and Spinach-beet. 

Flower Garden. — Fork over the flower beds so as to expose a new 
surface to the air. 

MARCH 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Canna singly, in 2-in. pots 
filled with a compost of two parts loam and one part leaf mould. 
Soak the seeds previously for twenty-four hours in tepid water, 
file a notch in the shell to allow them to germinate more readily, and 
place them about half an inch deep in the soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make another plantation of Sea- 
kale; also make a small sowing. 

Flower Garden. — See that all seed beds are protected from the 
attacks of birds. 

MARCH II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Chinese Primula (Primula 
Sinensis) in clean, well-drained pots filled with a compost of fibrous 
loam and leaf mould with a little silver sand. Cover seeds very 
thinly, place a piece of glass over each pot, and stand the pots in a 
temperature of 55° to 60°. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Complete yesterday's operations. 

Flower Garden. — Support Hyacinths, Tulips, etc., with sticks 
as soon as they need them. 

MARCH 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Take cuttings of such Fuchsias as you 
wish to propagate. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow the main crop of Parsnips in 
well-dug, friable soil. 

Flower Garden. — Give a liberal top-dressing to the Rhododendron 
beds. 

19 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

MARCH 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Celery on a hot-bed for an early 
supply. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Uncover Globe Artichokes from 
protecting material. Prepare a bed for planting Artichoke suckers 
next month. 

Flower Garden. — Finish all clearing and digging required in the 
shrubbery. 

MARCH 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Transfer Tomato seedlings to smaU pots 
and place them in frame for rooting before hardening and planting 
in the open. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Finish yesterday's task and make 
a small sowing of Globe Artichoke seed. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work in the shrubbery and do all 
the staking and tying that may be necessary there. 

MARCH 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Alpine Strawberry seeds in pans. 
Make a second sowing of Celery seed, to be pricked out as soon as 
possible. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out Beans raised in frames; 
earth up any that were sown early and are ready for it. 

Flower Garden. — Mulch all recently-planted trees and shrubs. 



MARCH 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prepare hot-bed for planting out 
Cucumber seedlings later on. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Protect from frost any wall fruit 
blossoms which may be beginning to show; fern is sometimes used, 
or canvas. 

Flower Garden. — Cut back Tea Roses. 

20 




OUR WEEK-END COTTAGE. 
As we found it. 




OUR WEEK-END COTTAGE. 
Two years later. 



A CALENDAR 

MARCH 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prick off into thumb-pots your Holly- 
hock, Verbena and Dianthus seedlings. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Weed the Asparagus bed, and if 
very dry give it a good soaking. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Roses now, but not later. Water 
copiously if dry. 

MARCH 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Lobelia, Gaillardia, 
Nemesia, and African and French Marigold. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prepare bed for sowing Asparagus 
seed later. Plant Horseradish. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Hollyhocks and Dwarf Stocks for bedding. 



MARCH 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Coleus seed. Good plants may 
be raised at a temperature of 65°. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Begin to plant Potatoes for the 
main crop. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare the ground for the sowing of hardy 
annuals. 

MARCH 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make use of any space in house or 
frames for forcing Strawberry plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the planting of Potatoes 
for the main crop and devote to it all time available until the work 
is finished. 

Flower Garden. — Sow hardy annuals of the kind that require 
to be sown where they are to flower, such as Alyssum, Candytuft, 
Gypsophila, Larkspur, Lupins, Virginian Stock, etc., etc. 

21 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

MARCH 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove Chrysanthemums from the 
house into cold frames for hardening. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Consider what herbs you have 
need of and sow, or divide up existing plants, accordingly. 

Flower Garden. — Sow all kinds of Poppies where they are to 
flower. 

MARCH 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-pot Chrysanthemum seedlings in 
ordinary compost and keep them well watered, allowing them to 
grow naturally without any stopping process. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Uncover Strawberry beds that 
have been protected; weed them and gently stir the soil round the 
plants. 

Flower Garden. — Sow annuals that will bear transplanting, such 
as Annual Chrysanthemums, Clarkia, Convolvulus, Coreopsis, Corn- 
flowers, etc., etc. 

MARCH 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Asters in a compost of loam, leaf 
mould and sand, in shallow pans. Sprinkle the seed thinly and 
cover lightly, maintaining the temperature at 55° to 60°. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If aU pruning and re-nailing of 
Fruit trees is finished, wash the trees, by means of a sjnringe, with a 
solution of sulphur and soot in tepid water, or with lime-wash, as a 
protection against insects. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the sowing of annuals, such as 
Eschscholtzia, Godetia, Linum, Malope, Sweet Sultan, etc., etc. 

MARCH 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prick out any half-hardy seedlings of 
annuals that are ready for hardening in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Proceed with the grafting and 
budding of Fruit trees, if this has not already been done. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of sowing annuals. 

22 



A CALENDAR 

MARCH 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow New Zealand Spinach in moderate 
heat for hardening off and planting out by the end of May. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's operations. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out Violas and Pansies. 



MARCH 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-pot Orchids that are showing new 
growth and water liberally all plants that are growing actively. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Spread fresh-slaked lime and rake 
it over the ground beneath the Gooseberry and Currant bushes. If 
this is done once or twice during the spring the attacks of caterpillars 
need not be feared. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out any autumn-sown seedlings that 
may be ready. 

MARCH 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot down Vandas that have grown 
" leggy " and shade Odontoglossums, giving sufficient air while 
avoiding draughts. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Dredge soot on the young buds of 
wall Fruit trees to prevent the mischief caused by birds. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing of Nasturtium and Tropaeolum 
seed. 



MARCH 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-pot any Palms that show a tendency 
to go brown at the tips, giving them a sweet, fresh compost. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow French Beans of a dwarf 
variety in a sheltered border. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out Pyrethrums in rich soil and in sunny 
position. 

23 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

MARCH 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give a top-dressing of well-rotted 
manure to the foliage plants such as Pahns, Aspidistras, etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Strew soot round aU plants that 
have been earthed up, as a protection from slugs and snails. Divide 
and re-plant Chives into fresh ground and plant Garlic. 

Flower Garden.—Sow Ten-week Stocks on a sunny bed. 

MARCH 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Balsams and Cockscombs 
in pans in a good heat, potting the seedlings later to form greenhouse 
plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Turnips and main crop of 
Brussels Sprouts. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Mignonette where it is to flower, making 
the soil firm as for an onion bed. 

MARCH 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the Strawberry plants in 
bloom in house or frame have plenty of air and give them a little 
manure water. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Tidy up the garden generally and 
roll the walks; make up any arrears of work. 

Flower Garden. — Make up any arrears of sowing and sow again 
where failures have occurred. 

APRIL I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Fumigate the greenhouse at night 
with tobacco smoke, as a protection against insects, particularly 
green-fly. All cracks and crevices giving admission to air must 
first be carefully closed up. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If any pruning of Fruit trees is 
still required, do it at once. 

Flower Garden. — Give a little time to any choice Tulips — see that 
they have protection from rain, frost and too much sun. 

24 



A CALENDAR 

APRIL 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Well syringe the plants to remove 
dead insects. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If Apricot, Nectarine and Peach 
trees are showing their bloom they should be carefully protected 
against frost. Make arrangements for doing so to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out biennials, such as Wallflowers, 
Stocks of various kinds, Hollyhocks, Campanulas, Sweet Williams, 
Foxgloves, etc., etc. 

APRIL 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Scrub aU shelves and stages, and make 
the greenhouse as clean and tidy as possible. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Examine Apricot, Peach and 
Nectarine trees for any withered branch, as all these trees may un- 
expectedly show a decayed limb, which should be immediately cut 
away as near the base as possible. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the planting out of biennials. 

APRIL 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the frames and see that they, 
too, are clean and sweet, and especially beware of woodlice. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If the Strawberry beds were not 
uncovered last month, do not delay to uncover them now. Also 
clear away aU weeds and nip off the runners. 

Flower Garden. — Sow such hardy annuals as were not got in 
last month — Coreopsis, Mignonette and Sunflowers, for instance, 
which may be as well sown now as earlier. 

APRIL 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make arrangements to shade plants 
in flower and those about to come into bloom. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give the Strawberry bed a spring 
dressing of half-rotted manure, soot and well-decayed leaves. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Sweet Peas for succession. 

25 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

APRIL 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow double Zinnia seed in pots filled 
with leaf-mould compost mixed with sand, and keep them at a 
temperature of about 60° — not higher. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look over the outdoor Vine and 
remove useless shoots by rubbing them close to the stem with finger 
and thumb. Train those shoots which are retained, nailing them to 
the wall at proper distances apart. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Nemesia, Convolvulus-major and Linum- 
rubrum. 

APRIL 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — S3n:inge Melon plants with water at a 
temperature a little higher than that of the bed in which they are 
growing. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue and complete yesterday's 
task. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Asters on a carefully-prepared bed, where 
they are to flower, thinning the seedlings when they are ready. 



APRIL 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the Cucumber plants have 
plenty of air in the daytime. Pinch off all shoots above the fruit 
and peg down the Vines. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Peas for succession. 

Flower Garden. — Prune all Tea Roses and the allied kinds. 



APRIL 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Start some Cucumbers for succession, 
adding fresh soil and fresh lining to the bed, if required. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Onions for winter use and 
Cabbages for the autumn. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's pruning and plant new 
trees in the place of any which may seem to be beyond their prime. 

26 



A CALENDAR 

APRIL 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that all such plants as Auriculas, 
Carnations and Pansies are getting sufficient air and water, and give 
them shade if the sun is hot. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant suckers of Globe Artichokes 
in the bed prepared last month. 

Flower Garden. — Hoe the ground freely on the Rose beds, first 
scattering a good supply of soot. Water any Roses newly planted. 

APRIL II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Begin to feed Sweet Peas in pots with 
manure water, so as to hasten their growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Hoe over the beds wherever pos- 
sible, so as to keep down the weeds and let in the sun, rain and air 
to the soil. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out the Rose cuttings from the pots in 
greenhouse. 

APRIL 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-pot Ferns and Palms that need 
more room and see that they and all flowering plants are duly 
shaded. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Go over the young crops, thinning 
and regulating them. Decide where protection must be continued 
and where removed. Water if necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Well roll the gravel walks which were turned 
or re-graveUed last month. 

APRIL 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Vegetable Marrow seeds in pots 
and bring them on in slight heat to plant out as soon as possible. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's work. 

Flower Garden. — If the lawn has not been already mown this 
season do not postpone the work any longer. Use a sharp-bladed 
machine, set high, for the first mowing. 

37 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

APRIL 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant out Lettuces from frames. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Celery seed in a warm spot, 
on a bed of rotten manure. Prick out some of your Celery seedlings 
grown under cover into a similar bed, also in the open, but in a 
sheltered position. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Rhododendron bed and replace 
any plants that have passed their prime with new bushes, planting 
them in loose, peaty soil. 

APRIL 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Endive in moderate heat and 
prick out the seedlings, when an inch high, into a bed of rich, light 
soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make another sowing of Brussels 
Sprouts for a late crop. Also sow Leeks, if the previous sowing has 
been inadequate. 

Flower Garden. — Look around and see if any plants are needing 
the support of stakes, either by reason of the March winds or from 
their recent increase in growth. 

APRIL 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prick out Celery seedlings into a bed 
of rotten manure and cover with a frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Lettuce seed for succession 
and plant out from the frames all that are ready to be moved. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the winter-flowering climbers; prune 
and train them where necessary. 

APRIL 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a second sowing of Balsams — 
in a frame, without artificial heat. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a liberal sowing of Parsley 
and Radishes. 

Flower Garden. — Trim all Ivy on walls, etc. 

28 



A CALENDAR 

APRIL i8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seed of Marvel of Peru if not done 
last month, as it will now germinate in a cold frame, without artificial 
heat. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Renew your bed of Mint, if desired, 
by pulling up young shoots and re-planting them 6 inches apart. 
Old plantations of Mint are apt to become wiry and leafless. Sage, 
Marjoram and Thyme may also be propagated now. 

Flower Garden. — Grub up Daisies from the lawn; a daisy-fork 
is the best tool for the purpose, but an old knife or carving-fork will 
serve. 

APRIL 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Azaleas which have 
already bloomed and remove aU the seed vessels. Also shift into 
new pots those plants which may have become pot-bound. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make preparations for forming 
an outdoor Mushroom bed. 

Flower Garden. — Complete yesterday's work by thoroughly roll- 
ing the lawn. 

APRIL 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant out Calceolarias that have 
wintered in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's task in making 
a Mushroom bed and complete the work as soon as opportunity 
occurs. 

Flower Garden. — Give a . weak solution of manure water to 
Auriculas, and thin their trusses. 

APRIL 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow in pots, in the cold frame just 
emptied, such seeds as China-Asters, Ten- Week Stocks, French 
and African Marigolds, etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Kidney Beans, if there be no 
appearance of frosty weather occurring. 

Flower Garden. — Scatter lime or soot around the plants on the 
herbaceous border as a preventive against the ravages of slugs and 
snails. 

29 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

APRIL 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Melons for a second crop, growing 
the seedlings in pots until they are about a foot high. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Broad Beans for succession. 
Also make a sowing of Beet. 

Flower Garden. — Make a further sowing of Nasturtium and 
Tropaeolum seed in case of failure of some of that previously sown. 

APRIL 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Cut back Marechal Niel Roses to about 
3 or 4 feet from the base, so that they may make new shoots. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow the main crop of Carrots. 

Flower Garden. — Sow any half-hardy annuals that have hitherto 
been omitted. 

APRIL 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look over aU Roses for mildew, and 
where it is found, dust with flowers of sulphur. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out Cauliflowers, as they 
are ready, at every favourable opportunity. Make a fresh sowing 
to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Ricinus (Castor-oil Plant) on a bed which 
has been thoroughly enriched with weU-rotted manure. 

APRIL 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prick off Aster seedlings that have 
attained the third leaf into suitable pans or pots to await single 
potting later on. Also make a fresh sowing. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Cardoons on well-manured 
ground, in rows 3 or 4 feet apart, and in groups of seed about 18 
inches distant from each other. 

Flower Garden. — See to the staking of the Sweet Peas; it is im- 
portant that the tendrils, while still small, are provided with some- 
thing on which to twine. 

30 



A CALENDAR 

APRIL 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Carnation seed in well-drained 
pots in a frame, transplanting the seedlings as soon as they can be 
handled for hardening in a cool pit. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Turnips for succession; also 
the long-standing variety of Spinach. 

Flower Garden. — Examine the Dahlia roots and plant out those 
that are ready. 

APRIL 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give the Dahlia seedlings plenty of 
water at this time and see that they are free from green-fly. Also 
pot up those which are ready. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Stick any Early Peas which may be 
sufficiently advanced. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Hollyhock seed in the reserve garden. 



APRIL 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot up the Petunia seedlings intended 
for bedding later on. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Protect Early Potatoes by drawing 
the earth lightly over them with the hoe. 

Flower Garden. — Top-dress the Pansy seedlings with well-rotted 
manure and plant out any that are sufficiently advanced. 



APRIL 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a further sowing of Ten- Week 
Stocks, transferring the seedlings later on to a cold frame or spent 
hot-bed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Thin and plant out young seedlings. 

Flower Garden. — Lift and divide the Polyanthuses, Primroses, 
Daisies, etc. 

31 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

APRIL 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove the Cyclamen plants which 
have been flowering during the winter to a moist pit, where they 
should be watered very sparely. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Remove hand-glasses from Cauli- 
flowers ; earth them up and give them some liquid manure. 

Flower Garden. — Stake and peg down such plants as may re- 
quire it. 

MAY I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Start some Melons in a frame, choosing 
sturdy plants for the purpose. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Cherry and Apple 
trees; disbud where necessary, stop all useless shoots, and see that 
those retained are properly regulated. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Sweet Peas for succession. 



MAY 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow some seed of decorative Gourds 
under glass, with the view of planting out the seedlings later on in a 
prepared bed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's work and 
extend it to the Pear and Plum trees. / 

Flower Garden. — Plant out seedlings as they may be ready — 
such as HoUyhocks, Gaillardia, Dianthus, Marigold, etc. 

MAY 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant out into a cold frame the early- 
flowering Chrysanthemums which were struck last month. Also put 
Tomato plants into a cold frame (with the lights off) for hardening. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Apricot, Nectarine and 
Peach trees, and disbud and train them where required. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's task of planting 
seedlings. 

32 



A CALENDAR 

MAY 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the recently-made Chry- 
santhemum cuittngs and pot up those that are well rooted. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's work on the 
Apricot, Nectarine and Peach trees. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Nemesia in the open border. Also make 
a sowing of various strains of Wallflowers in the reserve garden, in 
order that the plants may be well grown and hardened before winter. 



MAY 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Water the Hydrangeas which are 
beginning to show bloom with a weak solution of liquid manure, 
and continue this occasionally while the plants are in flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Examine all the Fruit trees for any 
appearance of insects, and if the trees are infected S5n:inge them with 
a decoction of quassia chips and soft soap (4 ounces of each to a 
gallon of water) or with soap-suds and tobacco water. 

Flower Garden. — Begin to harden off from frames and greenhouse 
such seedlings as Antirrhinum, Phlox, Stocks, etc. 



MAY 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Take stock of the various cuttings, 
other than Chrysanthemum, that may be in progress and pot up 
those which are ready. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Take a careful survey of the fruit 
forming on the trees and thin out where necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Make a further sowing of annuals in the open 
border, both for transplanting and for flowering where sown. 



MAY 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Primulas and Cinerarias 
in pots filled with good mould and keep them shaded from the sun. 
c 33 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Dust the young shoots of the Goose- 
berry and Currant bushes, by means of a dredger, with a mixture 
of dry Hme, soot and guano in equal parts, as a preventive of the 
attacks of caterpillars. Tobacco water and soap-suds is another 
specific. 

Flower Garden. — Lift and store the spring flowering and other 
bulbs as (but not before) their leaves begin to decay. 

MAY 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — As the sun's heat is now making fire 
heat almost unnecessary, make provision to benefit by this, admit- 
ting more air as soon as the temperature reaches 55°, but closing 
the greenhouse between four and five o'clock. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a similar dredging to the young 
shoots of any Fruit trees showing the presence of green or black fly. 

Flower Garden. — Devote to-day's and to-morrow's time in the 
garden to general tidying up — mowing the lawn, clipping the edges, 
weeding, etc., as the garden should now show a perfection of neat- 
ness. 

MAY 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Examine the Orchids carefully to see 
if thrips be present, and when found, dust with tobacco powder. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — A proper amount of moisture is 
imperative at this time of year for the production of a good crop 
on the Fruit trees and bushes. See, therefore, that they are watered, 
if dry, and mulch the roots with manure, cocoa-nut fibre or moss 
to prevent evaporation. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work. 

MAY 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Thin the Grape Vine, remembering 
that a small number of good bunches of fruit is more satisfactory 
than a large crop poorly developed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Water the Strawberry beds plenti- 
fully, if they are at all dry, and nip off the runners continually, ex- 
cept from those plants which are reserved for propagation. 

34 




A GARDEN IN THE MAKING. 
Pergola and Spring Garden (First stage). 




A GARDEN IN THE MAKING. 
Pergola and Spring Garden two years later. 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Prepare a suitable bed for, and make a sowing 
of, perennial Delphiniums. 

MAY II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sjnringe the Roses to-day with a weak 
solution of insecticide, repeating the operation at intervals, as a 
means of warding off insect pests. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a few doses of liquid manure 
at intervals to the Fruit bushes on which the fruit is beginning to 
set, so as to assist its development. 

Flower Garden. — Give the Roses a watering of liquid manure 
and repeat the application two or three times at intervals of a few 
days. Look carefully for any curled leaves and promptly remove 
the grub which will be found therein. 

MAY 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give a dusting of sulphur to any Roses 
which show a tendency to curled leaves, and water them freely with 
guano water. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Thin out the Asparagus in the 
seed-bed and protect the bearing-bed with new-mown grass. Some 
Asparagus should now be ready; cut carefully those sticks which 
are ripe. Make a new sowing, if required. 

Flower Garden. — Look to any choice Tulips which may be coming 
into bloom and shade them judiciously, watering round the beds to 
keep the plants cool and prolong their blooming. 

MAY 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make some cuttings of Roses and put 
them into a very sandy soil, covering them with a bell-glass and 
sprinkling them every morning. For the cuttings select those 
shoots which have flowered. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Broad Beans for a late crop. 
Examine those in flower for black-fly and top them wherever the fly 
is present. 

Flower Garden. — If the planting of Violets was not done in the 
autumn, a bed of them may now be made. A shady situation and a 
well-manured soil should be chosen. 

35 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

MAY 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prick out seedlings of half-hardy 
annuals into a slight hot-bed day by day as they become ready. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Kidney Beans of all sorts. 

Flower Garden. — Sow Zinnias in the open border, choosing a 
southern aspect if possible. 

MAY 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant the off-sets taken from the 
Cucumbers into the frames emptied of the half-hardy annuals, 
or make a sowing of seed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out Brussels Sprouts and 
Cabbages at every opportunity the weather permits. Make a sowing 
of small Cabbage. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the hedges and trim and clip them 
where required. 

MAY 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Put out the bedding plants into a cold 
frame for gradual hardening preparatory for planting in the open, 
removing the frame-lights altogether. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Thin out the main crop of Carrots 
and Parsnips and make a sowing for the main crop of Beet. 

Flower Garden. — Make a special bed for the cultivation of fine 
specimens of Ten-Week Stocks, choosing a border which was well 
manured in the previous autumn, and where each seedling is to be 
planted take out a shovelful of earth and replace it with good potting 
compost. 

MAY 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant for summer flowering some 
tubers of Tuberoses in pots filled with a compost of good loam and 
coarse sand, plunging the pots into a hot-bed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a small sowing of Stump- 
rooted Intermediate Carrots, to be puUed young. 

Flower Garden. — Complete yesterday's work. 

36 



A CALENDAR 

MAY i8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pinch back the undergrowth and peg 
down the stems of Cucumbers, and water them freely with tepid 
water. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out Cauliflowers as quickly 
as weather permits. Water them liberally in the absence of moist 
weather. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare a piece of ground in a sunny border, 
which has been previously well manured, and sow seed of Tobacco 
plant (Nicotiana). 

MAY 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant out some of the Vegetable 
Marrow seedlings into a mild hot-bed, covering the plants with hand- 
lights. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make trenches for Celery, using 
plenty of manure. Put in the young plants 6 or 8 inches 
apart. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out some of the young plants set on the 
ash-bed for hardening, such as Antirrhinums, Phlox, etc., etc. 

MAY 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give a new lining to the frames in 
which the Early Carrots and Potatoes were grown, and utilize them 
for growing Tomatoes and Capsicums. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Lettuces for succession in 
the bed where they are to grow, and plant out, at first opportunity, 
any seedlings still on hand. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work. 

MAY 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the re-potting of the Balsams, 
Celosias, Torenias, etc., in preparation for summer flowering in the 
greenhouse. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow American Cress and other 
small salading, also Dandelion for winter and spring salad. 

37 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Sow hardy annuals on the patches of ground 
now occupied by bulbs which have finished flowering for the season, 
such as Snowdrops, Crocuses, etc., which are not to be lifted. By 
the time the annuals are up the foliage of the bulbs will have died 
down. 

MAY 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, 
etc., that are to be retained in the greenhouse for the summer and 
shift into larger pots any that may require it. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Onion seed thickly for salad 
onions. Also sow Radishes for succession. 

Flower Garden. — Gently fork over the surface of the beds where 
it has become caked and hardened. See if plants set recently need 
watering. 

MAY 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the Heaths, Ferns and any 
other plants that seem to need more room are shifted accordingly. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Peas in trenches prepared 
(but without manure) as for Celery, only less deep. The trenches 
will act as draining receptacles for any rain which may fall and thus 
assist the growth of the Peas during a spell of dry weather. 

Flower Garden. — Give a good soaking to all trees and shrubs 
planted this spring, unless in the unlikely event of having had much 
rain lately. 

MAY 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove from the greenhouse the 
Hyacinths, Tulips and other bulbs that have finished flowering for 
the season, putting the contents of each pot, soil and all, into the 
ground, so that the bulbs may renew their vigour while the leaves 
are fading. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant a final small crop of Potatoes 
and earth up those that are sufliciently advanced. 

Flower Garden. — Prune any overgrown Laurels and clip the Ivy. 
Make new planting of Ivy, if required. 

38 



A CALENDAR 

MAY 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look over the Azaleas as they cease 
to flower and pick off dead flowers and seed vessels. Re-pot them 
if young growth is beginning to show and give them an occasional 
watering with a weak solution of liquid manure. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Vegetable Marrow seeds on 
prepared bed where they are to grow, unless there are already at 
hand some strong young plants ready for planting. 

Flower Garden. — Put in without delay any Dahlias still unplanted. 
Stake the Carnations. 

MAY 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Roses in pots; the Hybrid 
Perpetuals may probably be now benefited by being put out of doors, 
placed on a bed of ashes. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Spinach-beet. Plant out 
Leeks in well- dug ground. 

Flower Garden. — Proceed to get in the bedding plants, unless 
the weather be particularly unfavourable. 

MAY 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Cineraria seed in pots or pans and 
prick out the Cyclamen seedlings into pots. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Thin out the Raspberry suckers, 
leaving only four or five strong shoots on each stool. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work of getting in the 
bedding plants and go on with it at every favourable opportunity. 

MAY 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a fresh sowing of Wallflower seed 
in pans and remove the Dahlia cuttings to a cold frame for hardening. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — It is not too late to divide some of 
the Rhubarb roots, if so desired. Plant out the divided roots about 
4 feet apart and water thoroughly. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out seedling Pansies for succession — • 
in a border with northern aspect if possible. Give them shade at 
mid-day if their position demands it, and water them in the evening. 

39 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

MAY 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Propagate from any special Chrysan- 
themums you may have on hand by making cuttings and inserting 
them round the edge of pots filled with sandy soil, placing them in 
a frame until rooted. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lay down fresh straw between and 
underneath the leaves of the Strawberry plants, so as to keep the 
fruit clean and expose it more fully to the sun. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Ranunculuses and press the soil 
closely round them; water them if dry. Perennials may still be 
propagated by division, if desired. 

MAY 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant out the young Celosias, Balsams, 
Cockscombs, etc., etc., in a hot-bed from which early vegetables 
have been removed, putting in a new surface soil and a new lining. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Clear the Sea-kale of all litter used 
in forcing and gently fork up the ground between the rows. 

Flower Garden. — See to the bulbs and tubers which are to be 
lifted and take them up as soon as their leaves are decayed. 

MAY 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Tidy up the greenhouse generally; see 
that there is a proper supply of pegs, labels, etc. ; turn over and mix 
the soil that is stored for potting. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Clear away throughout the garden 
all manure and refuse which has been used for protection. Mix 
some with fresh stable manure to make hot-beds and throw the re- 
mainder into a heap to rot for compost. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out another batch of the young plants 
set out for hardening, such as Balsams, Begonias, etc. 

JUNE I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Cineraria seeds for succession, 
and as soon as the seedlings are ready put them into a close frame, 
watering them gently night and morning. 

40 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow French Beans for succession. 

Flower Garden. — Take a general survey of the bedding plants 
put out last month with a view to rectif5dng any mistakes made in 
arrangement or failure in individual plants. 



JUNE 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot up those Primula seedlings which 
are ready and make another sowing. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out Early Celery. 

Flower Garden. — Continue to give attention to the bedding 
plants, stirring the soil, pegging down the Verbenas, Petunias, 
Ageratums, etc., and watering copiously, but not too frequently, 
as required. 

JUNE 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seeds of Brompton Stocks in pans, 
placing them in slight heat until the seedlings are large enough to 
be hardened and planted out. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Syringe the wall-fruit trees now and 
frequently, from day to day, to destroy red spider and aphis. 
Evening is the best time for the process. 

Flower Garden. — Look over whatever surplus of bedding plants 
you have in hand and consider what use may be made of them for 
garden tubs and vases, hanging baskets, etc. 



JUNE 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Transfer the young Tobacco plants to 
a spare frame, where they may gradually harden for the open ground. 
They need plenty of moisture and a rich soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Raspberry canes and 
remove all useless suckers as soon as they appear. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work by filling tubs, 
vases and baskets, bearing in mind that the latter should have some 
trailing plants. 

41 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

JUNE 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow seed of Primroses (white, blue, 
crimson, etc.) in pans, and harden off the seedlings in due course for 
filling up vacant spaces in the rock garden or where otherwise 
required. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give the Strawberry plants a 
liberal watering, if the weather be dry, and see that the maturing 
fruit is properly raised from the ground and well exposed to the 
ripening power of the sun. A few forked twigs or odd pieces of 
glass will be found useful for the purpose. 

Flower Garden. — Collect the remainder of the bedding stock, 
re-pot where necessary, and arrange the plants in a cool and shady 
situation, ready for any unexpected demand. Keep the blooms 
pinched off. 

JUNE 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the greenhouse and all the 
frames and pits are receiving the full benefit of the sunshine and 
warm air, opening them early and giving shade where required. 
Be on the lookout for aphis, and sponge and cleanse any plants 
attacked, boldly removing any young shoots if necessary. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Be on the watch to stop the need- 
less shoots on Peach, Apricot and Nectarine trees, etc., and thin 
the fruit where necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Give daily attention at this season of the year 
to the newly-planted beds, and remove, from time to time, the plants 
which have finished flowering. To-day remove the Wallflowers to 
reserve garden. 

JUNE 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Thin out the shoots of the Hydrangeas 
where they are crowded, if this has not already been done, putting 
in some of the cuttings for propagation. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a thorough watering to the 
Peach, Apricot and Nectarine trees and other wall-fruit trees, unless 
the season be unusually wet, and keep a lookout for insect pests, 
dealing with them promptly when found. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work in the newly-planted 
beds and remove the Pansies which have ceased to bloom. 

42 



A CALENDAR 

JUNE 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot up the Carnation cuttings and 
place them in a cold frame. Sow seed of Chinese Primulas. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden.— Keep all the wall-fruit trees well 
mulched, especially if the weather be dry, as a protection against 
excessive evaporation of moisture. 

Floi&er Garden. — As a continuation of the two previous days' 
work remove the Anemones and other early flowering plants. 

JUNE 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Orchids and remove any 
flowers that may be appearing, lest they should retard the growth 
of the plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Examine the Plum trees and re- 
move all new wood not required for extending the size of the trees. 

Flower Garden. — Attend to the Carnations, Pinks and Picotees, 
and thin out the shoots of those plants which are rampant in growth. 

JUNE 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give a top-dressing of loam and de- 
cayed manure to the Liliums. Plant Calla Lilies in a trench having 
a layer of manure at the bottom. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's work on the 
Plum trees and keep a sharp lookout for the small fly which fre- 
quently attacks them, destroying it as soon as observed. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work on the Carnations, etc., 
carefully tying the remaining shoots to their stakes and binding the 
flower-pods where they are inclined to burst prematurely. 

JUNE II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of such plants as 
Fuchsias, Heliotropes, Verbenas, etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the outdoor Grape-vine and 
thin out the young shoots, allowing only one shoot to remain at each 
joint. 

43 



A YEAKS GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Hollyhocks, Delphiniums and 
Phloxes, and thin out any crowded shoots so as to promote good 
bloom. 

JUNE 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a setting in pots of Strawberry 
runners for next season's forcing of Strawberry plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — See to the Fruit trees that were 
grafted in the spring and remove the ties which were used to keep 
the grafts in position. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work on the Hollyhocks, 
Delphiniums, etc., and stake and tie them carefully. 

JUNE 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Turn out of doors the pot Roses as 
they cease to bloom, putting them into a sunny spot and packing 
them in cocoa-nut fibre to retain moisture. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — To-day and to-morrow may well 
be devoted to the summer stopping of the Gooseberry and Red 
and White Currant bushes. While doing this, bear in mind the 
importance of a good-shaped bush, and leave only such young 
shoots as will assist in that object. 

Flower Garden. — Attend to the Dahlias recently planted out, 
water them in the evening if dry, and give them a slight mulching 
at the roots. 

JUNE 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Melon seed for a final crop. Make 
arrangements for the support of fruit which is heavy on existing 
Melon plants, by means of nets or pieces of board properly sus- 
pended. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue and, if possible, complete 
yesterday's work. 

Flower Garden. — Continue to give attention to the Dahlias, 
remove some of the shoots if growth is exuberant and stake and tie 
up carefully those retained. Be on the lookout for the attacks of 
slugs, and if any indication of them be found, encircle the plants 
with a deep ring of soot. 

44 



A CALENDAR 

JUNE 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Calceolaria seed and be prepared 
to give the seedlings an even temperature and early transplanting, 
with careful shading and watering. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow the main crop of winter 
Turnips. 

Flower Garden. — Mid- June is pre-eminently the time for Roses, 
and throughout the remainder of this month daily attention should 
be given to them. Make it to-day's work to look over a certain 
number of trees and destroy any maggot or green-fly which may be 
discovered, 

JUNE 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Move the Gloxinias which are showing 
signs of bloom into an airy and shady position. Look to the 
Camellias, and fumigate them if they are being attacked by thrips. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Endive seed, either broadcast 
or in shallow drills 4 to 6 inches apart. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work of searching for and 
destroying insect pests on the Roses. 

JUNE 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give attention to Balsams, Cocks- 
combs and other annuals grown to fill vacant places. Re-pot them 
and put them near the glass, giving them gentle bottom heat if their 
growth seems slow. Remove early buds to prevent premature 
flowering. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Broad Beans again 
and nip off the tops of the plants, especially those which bear any 
sign of black-fly. 

Flower Garden. — Continue to give attention to the Roses, and 
to-day, in particular, see that the Standards are effectually secured 
to their stakes. 

JUNE 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — The Capsicums and Lilies should now 
be brought forward; re-pot them and plunge them into moderate 
heat. 

45 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — ^Thin out the Beetroot seedlings 
and hoe the ground between the rows. 

Flower Garden. — Continue to keep a close watch on the Roses, 
and let to-day's especial work be the regulating and tying up of any 
weak-growing shoots. 

JUNE 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Cucumber plants and clear 
them of any dead leaves, stirring the soil and adding fresh earth, 
if needed. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the outdoor Cucumbers, 
and if they are running too freely nip off the ends of the main stems 
and thus induce them to break into side shoots. 

Flower Garden. — In continuation of the work on the Roses make 
a careful survey and remove all fading flowers, cutting back the 
branches of the autumn-flowering kinds which have ceased to bloom. 

JUNE 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Both the Cucumber and Melon plants 
are liable to the attacks of insect pests at this season. Examine 
the plants carefully and take immediate steps to exterminate any 
insects that may be present. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Asparagus bed to 
determine if cutting should not cease, bearing in mind that it is wise 
to leave a few heads uncut. 

Flower Garden. — Let attention be still given to the Roses, stirring 
the ground around them and giving them a plentiful supply of 
manure water. 

JUNE 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pinch back all useless shoots that may 
be appearing on the Melon plants and make a further planting of 
seedlings for succession. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to give attention to the 
Asparagus bed, and if cutting has now ceased, weed the bed carefuUy 
and thoroughly and sprinkle it all over with salt. 

46 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Do not forget to keep a watch on the Rose 
beds, but also give some attention to-day to the Tuhps, doing what 
is desirable in the way of shade and protection to prolong their 
bloom. 

JUNE 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Examine the seedlings which have 
been raised for winter blooming in the greenhouse — such as Cine- 
rarias, etc., etc. — and pot up all those which are ready, keeping them 
in a cool frame, well shaded. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a final sowing of French 
Beans for succession, if required. 

Flower Garden. — Let to-day's time to the Roses be devoted to 
the training and tying of the new shoots of the climbers. As to 
the Tulips, look over the beds carefully and note the habit and 
character of the individual plants with the view of insuring still 
more effective planting next season. 

JUNE 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a final shift of Chrysanthemums 
into suitable pots and water them copiously — twice a day in hot 
weather is not too much. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — It is not too late to make another 
sowing of Runner Beans. If the weather be dry, water the drills 
before sowing, and let the seed be previously soaked in water for 
twelve hours or so. 

Flower Garden. — Do not relax attention to the Roses — frequent 
syringing is beneficial and tobacco water is reckoned to be destruc- 
tive to the green-fly. Lift those Tulips which have ceased to bloom 
and on which the foliage has turned yellow and put the bulbs to dry 
in the sun preparatory to storing. 

JUNE 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — This is a good time for propagating 
the indoor Roses. Take cuttings of those which are best suited for 
the purpose. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a final sowing of Broccoli 
seed for winter use. 

47 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Should you desire to try your hand at budding 
Roses, this is a good time to begin, if it be a showery day. Note 
that if the bark does not hft freely the operation had better be post- 
poned for a few days. 

JUNE 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Begin the clearing of the greenhouse 
in preparation for the annual cleansing and painting, as at this 
season of the year, in ordinary weather, most of the plants will take 
no harm in being left out of doors for a few days. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Broccoli seedlings and 
plant out those which are ready. Beware of allowing them to run 
up in the seed-bed — it is better to transplant them temporarily. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Violas and peg down any exuberant 
shoots, so that the plants may present an even and regular display 
of flowers. 

JUNE 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue yesterday's work of clearing 
the greenhouse and of arranging the plants in a suitable position 
outside. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out the seedlings of Brussels 
Sprouts and Savoys, puddling them in if the weather be dry. A 
little soot mixed with the water is beneficial. 

Flower Garden. — Remove all dead flowers and seed-pods from 
the Violas and continue to do so at frequent intervals — daily, if 
possible — as a sure method of prolonging bloom. 

JUNE 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — The rest of this month may well be 
devoted to the annual cleansing and re-painting of the greenhouse. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of planting out 
Brussels Sprouts and Savoys. If space be scarce, plant them be- 
tween the rows of those Peas or Beans which will shortly be done 
with. Firm ground, not too recently dug up, is desirable for them. 

Flower Garden. — Give attention to the Sweet Peas and continue 
to pick the flowers regularly and frequently, never permitting any 
seed-pods to form. 

48 



A CALENDAR 

JUNE 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the annual cleansing and 
re-painting of the greenhouse. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out the young Cabbages and 
Cauliflowers which are ready. A proper succession is very de- 
sirable. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Gladioli and give proper support 
to those plants which need it. They are very liable to injury by 
wind. 

JUNE 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the annual cleansing and 
re-painting of the greenhouse. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the young Carrots and thin 
out judiciously. 

Flower Garden. — This is a suitable time of year for sowing Pansy 
seed in the open. Make a sowing to-day. 

JUNE 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue and complete, if possible, 
the re-painting of the greenhouse. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a beginning in the final 
planting out of the Celery, as probably some plants are now ready 
to be got into their permanent quarters. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing of Dianthus (Japan Pink, 
Indian Pink, etc.) in a shady situation. Sow in drills in finely sifted 
son and cover very lightly. 

JULY I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the greenhouse is thoroughly 
ventilated and the new paint quite hard before attempting to re- 
place the plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Start the month by collecting to- 
gether all garden rubbish which may have accumulated. 

Flower Garden. — At the present time and for two or three weeks 
to come the flower garden will probably be at its best. Give your- 
self sufficient leisure to enjoy its beauty. 
D 49 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

JULY 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Replace the plants in the greenhouse, 
arranging them in an orderly and suitable manner, such as will 
allow them to be conveniently attended to. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — In continuation of yesterday's 
work, dig a deep trench for the reception of soft decaying rubbish, 
such as Cabbage and Cauliflower stumps, green leaves of vegetables, 
pea-pods, withered flowers, etc., etc. 

Flower Garden. — Though enjoying a well-earned leisure, do not 
neglect the light daily tasks which tend to keep the garden at its 
best. To-day go carefully over the Violas and remove any withered 
flowers or seed-pods which may have been overlooked. 

JULY 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — As each pot is replaced in the green- 
house see that its soil is in proper condition and remove any moss 
or lichen. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Complete the work of the last few 
days by dividing the soft from the hard wooded rubbish, laying the 
former in the trench you have prepared and covering it with a little 
soil as a deodorizer, and collecting the hard rubbish — such as tree, 
shrub and hedge clippings — into a heap for burning into wood-ash 
in the autumn. 

Flower Garden. — Look over the Sweet Peas for withered flowers 
and seed-pods. See if the stems show signs of turning yellow at 
the base, and if so, give the plants a light mulching with a view to 
prolonging bloom. 

JULY 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the exotic bulbs which have 
done flowering for the season and remove them to ripen in dry earth 
or sand in a warm place. Do not lift them if the stems are still 
green, but continue to water them until the foliage yellows. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Complete the planting out of the 
main crop of Celery, a beginning in which work was made at the end 
of last month. 

Flower Garden. — The Tropasolums and Dwarf Nasturtiums 
should now have daily attention. Look to them to-day and pick 
off all withered flowers, not permitting any seed-pods to form. 

50 



A CALENDAR 

JULY 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Water the Hydrangeas now in flower 
with a weak solution of manure water so as to assist the effort of 
blooming. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the planting out of young 
Cabbage, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, etc., from time to time, and 
thus make useful successions of plants. Do some planting out to- 
day. 

Flower Garden. — Give some special attention to the lawn to-day, 
considering whether the grass has been kept too short or not mown 
frequently enough in regard to the weather experienced. See also 
whether the weeds are so numerous as to need drastic measures. 

JULY 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove the Cinerarias into a cold 
frame, standing them on a layer of ashes. Shade them from the 
hot sun and syringe them frequently. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a small sowing of Lettuce 
seed for autumn use. Do some more planting out of young greens. 

Flower Garden. — Continue to give attention to the lawn, and if 
there are many Dandelions present, destroy them at once by cutting 
off the leaves with a sharp knife and then piercing the exposed root- 
heads with an iron skewer dipped in a phial of sulphuric acid. 



JULY 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Calceolaria seedlings which 
have been recently pricked off and select the strongest for potting 
up. Those in which yellow predominates are generally the most 
vigorous. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow Radish seed in a shady spot. 
A rich soil and plenty of moisture are essential for the rapid growth 
which produces a satisfactory crop. 

Flower Garden. — Continuing your examination of the lawn, be 
on the lookout this evening for daddy-long-legs, and if they are 
numerous over the grass it is doubtless infested with the grub, 
which comes to the surface at night and may be destroyed by late 
evening or early morning rolling. 

51 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

JULY 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the potting up of the Cal- 
ceolaria seedlings and bear in mind that the weakly specimens are 
often those from which the best colours come. Therefore pot the 
weaklings carefully and place them in a sheltered part of the green- 
house. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Complete the planting out of young 
Greens but reserve the main sowing of seed until next month, any 
advice to the contrary notwithstanding. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Dahlias; thin out weak stems and 
carefully stake those which are retained. Water the plants liberally 
with a weak solution of liquid manure. 



JULY 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Pelargonium cuttings 
made in the spring. Re-pot them and nip off the flower buds and 
any exuberant shoots, in order that the plants may retain a dwarf 
and bushy growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the wall-fruit trees and 
remove any useless or ill-placed shoots which were overlooked or 
neglected last month. Do not delay — the opportunity will be lost 
when the fruit begins to ripen. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Hollyhocks, and if the weather be 
dry give them a mulching as a means of prolonging their bloom. 
See that the stakes hold good and that the plants are properly 
secured to them. 

JULY 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Remove the Chinese Primulas to a cold 
frame, as forcing the growth of these plants will spoil them. They 
are naturally hardy and should be allowed to mature slowly. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a final thinning of the 
Peaches, Nectarines, etc., not only of the fruit but also of the leaves, 
which may shade the fruit and deter it from ripening. 

Flower Garden. — See that the Evening Primroses are securely 
staked — they are well worthy of careful treatment. 

52 



A CALENDAR 

JULY II 

Greenhouse and Frames.- — Look to the Freesias and re-pot those 
required for early flowering in a compost of rich loam, leaf mould 
and sand. Care is needed in the operation, as the bulbs are small 
and the rootlets fragile. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give some adequate protection to 
the ripening fruit from the ravages of birds. Netting is the most 
effectual. 

Flower Garden. — Now is a good time for layering Carnations. 
Make a beginning to-day unless the weather is very dry. 



JULY 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give attention to the tuberous Begonias 
and give them some shade, lest the leaves should be scorched. Water 
them freely and cut out any sign of rot which may appear on the 
stems. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prepare a bed for a new plantation 
of Strawberry plants. Now is an excellent time. 

Flower Garden. — Pansy and Viola seed may still be sown. Make 
a sowing of each to-day, choosing a shady situation and covering 
the seed lightly with fine earth. 



JULY 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Cyclamens and shift into 
larger pots those which are sufficiently advanced. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Let to-day's work be to detach 
the Strawberry runners which have been allowed to root themselves 
from the store plants and to plant in as many as are required for the 
bed prepared yesterday. 

Flower Garden. — The latter half of July often brings showery 
weather, which should be utilized for sowing some of the hardy 
annuals. Make a sowing to-day of Antirrhinum for next year's 
flowering. In most cases drills are preferable to broadcast sowing, 
giving better scope for weeding. 

53 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

JULY 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — If the Calceolaria seedlings recently 
potted up have proved deficient in quantity or quality, lose no time 
in regrets — make another sowing to-day. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue your work on the Straw- 
berry plants, potting up some of the rooted runners and storing 
them in a frame preparatory for forcing later on. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of sowing hardy annuals 
and to-day make a sowing of Sweet Alyssum. 

JULY 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow Mignonette seed for winter 
flowering. A good compost for the purpose may be made of rich 
loam, leaf mould and sand ; fill a few small pots with this, dropping 
some half-dozen seeds into each pot, and keep them moist and 
shaded. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make to-day a sowing of Endive 
for winter use, and another sowing at the end of the month would 
be advisable. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing of Mignonette, bearing in mind 
that the bed should be very firm — indeed the soil should be trodden 
down. 

JULY 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Sow in pots or pans some seed of the 
perennial Lobelia, as a provision for bedding out next year. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift the Garlic and Shallots, unless 
the weather be unsuitable, and if necessary store under shelter for 
ripening. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing to-day of various sorts of 
Candytuft. There are many colours — white, purple, crimson, 
carmine, etc. — and several heights in growth. 

JULY 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a sowing of tuberous Begonia 
seed, so as to give the seedlings an opportunity of becoming strong 
before winter and ready to flower in the spring. 

54 



1 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out the Leeks, and if the 
weather be unusually dry, let them be planted in trenches, with a 
view to securing as much moisture as possible. 

Flower Garden. — If not already done, make a sowing to-day of 
Primrose seed on a shady border. There are now many beautiful 
shades of colour in this flower, from white to deep crimson, besides 
various tints of yellow. 

JULY i8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make another sowing of Cineraria 
seed, especially if last month's sowing was omitted. Few green- 
house plants can exceed the Cineraria in beauty and variety of flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a main sowing of Turnips for 
autumn and winter use. Thin out the advancing crop and keep it 
clear of weeds. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Lilies {Lilium candidum) and see 
that they are unobtrusively but securely staked. Give them a few 
doses of weak manure water. 

JULY 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Cucumber beds and keep 
them well watered. Overhead watering may be insufficient — the 
soil should be kept moist. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Keep a watch on the growth of the 
Vegetable Marrows and mulch them liberally — a method which is 
often better than mere watering. 

Flower Garden. — Should yesterday's examination of the Lilies 
have shown them in bad condition, lift them, and if the bulbs have 
any sign of disease, dust them with flowers of sulphur and burn 
diseased stems and leaves. Healthy plants should not be moved. 

JULY 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a sowing of Cucumber seed for 
autumn supply. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow a little Onion seed, with a 
view to providing young Onions for autumn salads. Also make a 
small sowing of Carrot seed, in an open spot, for use in winter and 
early spring. 

55 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — The choice kinds of Polyanthus deserve special 
attention. Lift the plants to-day, pot them, and place them in a 
shaded cold frame to protect them through the winter. 

JULY 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Melons, and if the fruit is 
beginning to ripen, desist from watering, lest the fruit should crack. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prepare a bed for next month's 
sowing of Prickly Spinach, selecting a high and dry spot and digging 
it over thoroughly (twice digging is sometimes advisable) to allow 
the birds to destroy the Spinach moth grub. Use no manure. 

Flower Garden.- — Yesterday's work among the Polyanthuses 
may have revealed the need for division of the remaining plants. 
If so, divide and re-plant them to-day, especially if showery weather 
prevails. 

JULY 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the Tomato plants which have 
been raised in pots. Those which are in fruiting condition plunge 
(without removing from the pots) into the hot-bed, where the mild 
heat and the root constriction of the pots will assist the fruit-bearing 
capacity of the plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue yesterday's work in the 
preparation of the Spinach bed. 

Flower Garden. — Lift and divide the Primroses and Daisies to- 
day, unless that has already been done. 

JULY 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the bulbs which have been 
lifted, and for storing and ripening them make use of any unused 
frames. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give attention to the Potato patch 
and see if some of the early variety are ready for lifting. It is often 
wise not to wait until the hauhns are died down. 

Flower Garden. — Cuttings of bedding Pelargoniums may be 
struck in the open at this time of year. Make some cuttings to- 
day and insert them in a warm border. 

56 



A CALENDAR 

JULY 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Consider what cuttings it is desirable 
to make from the greenhouse plants and prepare one of the unused 
frames to receive them. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant a small quantity of quick- 
growing Potatoes for use as New Potatoes later in the year, when 
they are more than usually acceptable. 

Flower Garden. — Variegated-leaved Geraniums make better 
foliage if the flowers are removed. Pick off the blooms from those 
plants you are using for foliage display. 

JULY 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of Hydrangeas, insert- 
ing each cutting singly in a smaU pot of light, loamy soil, and place 
them in the frame under suitable shade. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Earth up the late variety Potatoes, 
and if the haulms show any signs of disease, bend them well over to 
one side, so that the disease spores may not fall upon the tubers. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Delphiniums and cut down the 
flower stems which have ceased to bloom. 

JULY 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of Geraniums, using 
only strong and healthy shoots, and place them in the shaded frame 
now allotted to cuttings. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Sea-kale and let it have 
plenty of water, particularly the young plants. Strew soot or wood- 
ashes about them as a prevention of insect attacks. 

Flower Garden. — Examine the Hollyhocks and sponge with a 
solution of insecticide any leaves presenting brown excrescences. 

JULY 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of such of the Fuchsias 
as you wish to increase and remove them to the appointed frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — The Sweet Herbs, such as Mint, 
Sage and Thyme, are probably now about to flower; if so, cut some 
to-day for winter use, and lay it where it will dry in the sun and be 
sheltered from the rain. Make another sowing of Endive. 

57 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing to-day of Hollyhock seed in the 
open border and by the autumn the seedlings should be sufficiently 
advanced to be transferred to a frame for the winter. Obtain the 
best and cleanest seed, for the Hollyhock fungus {Puccinia malva- 
cearum) is a virulent pest. 

JULY 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue to make cuttings of such 
greenhouse plants and shrubs as you desire to propagate. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Devote the remaining days of this 
month to exhaustive and thorough weeding (especially if the weather 
be dry), to the removal of all crops which are past bearing, and to 
the preparation of the ground, thus made vacant, for future crops. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Dahlias and set traps for the ear- 
wigs. A small flower-pot, half- filled with dry moss and set upside 
down on a stake, is effective if cleared out daily. 



JULY 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue, and if possible complete, 
the work of making summer cuttings from greenhouse plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of weeding, 
clearing and preparing the ground for new crops. 

Flower Garden. — Give the Dahlias a liberal watering of weak 
liquid manure and repeat the dose two or three times at intervals of 
a few days. 

JULY 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of any choice Pansies, 
selecting young shoots from the root of the plant, and place them in 
the frame now devoted to cuttings. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of weeding, 
clearing and preparing the ground for new crops. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing in a moist soil and in a shady 
situation of some varieties of Mimulus (including Musk, Mimulus 
moschatus) for flowering in the following spring. 

58 




OUR WEEK-END COTTAGE. 
The Path, to the Front-door. 




OUR WEEK-END COTTAGE. 
The Porch at the Side-door. 



A CALENDAR 

JULY 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of your best Violas, 
choosing those shoots which are fibrous and not flowering, and place 
them in the appointed frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue, and if possible complete, 
the work of weeding, clearing and preparing the ground for new 
crops. 

Flower Garden. — Complete the layering of the Carnations, a 
beginning of which work was prescribed earlier in the month. 

AUGUST I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Compared with the abundance of 
flowers in the open garden the contents of the greenhouse is now 
scanty, presenting a convenient opportunity for giving special at- 
tention to the climbers and other plants which are permanent in 
the house. Begin to-day by making a general examination of what 
such plants require in training, pruning, etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Tomatoes and let those 
plants which are full of fruit be watered freely with liquid manure. 

Flower Garden. — Begin the month by looking through the 
annuals and clearing away those which have flowered. 

AUGUST 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Let to-day's work be the pruning of 
the climbers, cutting back the strong growers to proper limits and 
removing the shoots which have done blooming with a view to in- 
ducing second flowering where that is probable. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If yesterday's survey of the Tomato 
plants showed some which were dwindling and fading, do not hesi- 
tate to remove them. They are probably diseased and should be 
puUed up and burnt at once. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of clearing away plants 
which have done flowering, not forgetting the bulbs where the foliage 
is withered. 

AUGUST 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue, and if possible complete^ 
yesterday's work on the climbers, bearing in mind the advantage 

59 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

of providing more ingress for light now that the days are decreasing 
in length. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Attend to the Gooseberry and 
Currant bushes, picking the fruit as it ripens and seeing that, mean- 
while, it is duly protected from the birds. Black Currants, especi- 
ally, should be picked as soon as ripe — they quickly shrivel when 
left on the bush. 

Flower Garden. — If the layering of the Carnations was not com- 
pleted last month, let it be done to-day — it is not too late. 

AUGUST 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give attention to the foliage plants in 
the house, such as Palms, Indiarubber Plants, Aspidistras, etc., 
sponging the leaves (a little milk added to the water is recommended), 
giving unobtrusive support to stems which require it and removing 
all traces of decay. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Keep a keen watch over the wall- 
fruit — on Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, etc. — and do all you can 
to protect it from the attacks of wasps and flies. Set traps for them 
to-day, by hanging on the wall or branches wide-mouthed, steep- 
shouldered bottles containing syrup. 

Flower Garden. — Look to those Carnations which were layered 
early and take off and pot any which are rooted. 

AUGUST 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the winter-flowering Begonias 
and consider whether you should begin to give them an occasional 
watering of weak liquid manure. See that they are so placed that 
no injury is being done to their handsome, fleshy leaves. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look out, also, for snails, which 
often attack and spoil the wall-fruit. Search for them at evening 
or early morning and destroy them. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work on the rooted layers of 
Carnations. Two or three rootlets may be placed in one pot, and 
the pots should then be allowed to stand in a shady situation, so that 
the plants may be well established before winter. 

60 



A CALENDAR 

AUGUST 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Caladiums, Crotons, 
Dracoena, and such hke plants of ornamental foliage, and do what 
is necessary to keep them in good condition. Caladiums should now 
have but little water and be gradually dried off. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the standard fruit trees — 
Apples, Pears, etc. — and thin out where the fruit is crowded. A 
rough-and-ready method is to shake the trees, by which means the 
blighted and useless fruit is brought down. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the young Asters and lift from the 
borders those which are intended for indoor plants. Pot them with 
care and with the least possible disturbance to the roots. 

AUGUST 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue to give attention to the plants 
which remain in the greenhouse, such as the Arum Lilies, the Aspar- 
agus Fern, the Bouvardia, the Balsams, the various Heaths and 
Cacti, etc., etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden, — Continue to give attention to the 
standard fruit trees and give suitable support to any boughs which 
are heavily laden with fruit. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Dianthus (Pink) seedlings and trans- 
fer those which are sufficiently grown to their flowering quarters. 
They will do best in a porous soil and a sunny situation. 



AUGUST 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Gloxinias and refrain from 
watering those which are ceasing to bloom. The Achimenes should 
be treated in the same way. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a sowing of Prickly Spinach, 
in the bed prepared for it last month, as a provision for the early 
spring. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out the young Pansies which have been 
made from cuttings or raised from seed, or at least such of them as 
are sturdy enough, taking care to have a ball of earth to each plant 
and to leave the other plants undisturbed. 

6i 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

AUGUST 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot up the Tobacco plant {Nicotiana 
affinis) seedlings in preparation for their flowering in winter. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a main sowing of Cabbage 
seed. It is certainly advantageous to sow two distinct varieties, 
thus ensuring a difference in the crop, which will be appreciated at 
table. 

Flower Garden. — Make up a bed for planting out the Brompton 
Stock seedlings, choosing a site which is protected by trees or shrubs. 
The soil should be rich and good. 

AUGUST 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — The small, pure white Roman Hya- 
cinths are imported into this country at this season. Plant a few 
in pots to-day and they will be flowering in November and December. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a small sowing of Brussels 
Sprouts. Sow thinly and allow some of the plants to stand the 
winter in the seed-bed. 

Flower Garden. — Complete yesterday's work by planting out 
the Brompton Stock seedlings in the prepared bed. 

AUGUST II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings from such of the Cacti 
as you wish to propagate. The slips should be 2 or 3 inches 
long, or more, according to size of plant, and should be put to dry 
in the sun for a day or two, until the sap has ceased to ooze from 
the incised end, before being inserted in soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Earth up such of the Celery plants 
as are ready for the process, bearing in mind that the earthing stops 
the growth and therefore should not be done before it is necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Take a comprehensive view of the various 
Saxifrages you have and take off sets from the sides of those plants 
you wish to propagate. 

AUGUST 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the frames, and begin to-day 
the work of cleansing, repairing and painting those which are not 
now in use. 

62 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Cut down the Globe Artichokes 
of which the heads have already been used, and those (if any) which 
you have selected for making Chards should be kept well supplied 
with water. 

Flower Garden. — Now is a good time for the main sowing of 
annuals. Prepare a seed-bed to-day, choosing a position not ex- 
posed to the full glare of the sun and pulverizing the soil thoroughly 
with a rake. Sow in drills rather than broadcast. 



AUGUST 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work begun yesterday 
on the frames now out of use, in order that they may be ready when 
wanted. Look out for insect pests and destroy them. 

Vegetable and Friiit Garden. — If you care for Corn Salad (otherwise 
Lamb's Lettuce), make a sowing to-day. It is valuable for use in 
early spring. 

Flower Garden. — Make a sowing to-day of Calandrinia on the 
bed prepared yesterday. Both the grandiflora and the umbellata 
are useful, the latter being a trailing plant. Sow also two or three 
varieties of Calendula — the double-flowered officinalis is excellent. 

AUGUST 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue and complete the work of 
the last two days on the frames. See that the glass is clean. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a sowing of Lettuce seed of 
some hardy kind (Winter White Cos is good) that will stand the 
winter. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of sowing annuals — say, 
the dwarf CaUiopsis, an annual of compact habit and abundant 
bloom of several colours, and also some of the double-flowered 
Clarkias. 

AUGUST 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the Cacti cuttings recently 
made, and if they are sufflciently dry, insert them singly in small 
pots filled with sandy soil mixed with a little old mortar. Very 
little water should be given them until they are rooted. 

63 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the young Endive plants 
and plant out those that are large enough. Make a final sowing, if 
desirable. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the sowing of annuals — CoUinsia, 
for instance (the large-flowered white and the deep lilac), and the 
bright yellow Coreopsis. 

AUGUST i6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Bulbs which are intended for early pot- 
flowering should be planted about this time. Make a small selection 
to-day, pot them and place them in a cold frame, covering them 
with ashes or cocoa-nut fibre until well rooted. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a final sowing of Onion seed, 
first sprinkling the ground with a mixture of soot and salt — an 
excellent fertilizer and preventive of disease in the crop. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the sowing of annuals, such as the 
Arkansas Erysimum (the Wallflower of the West) and the well- 
known Eschscholtzia, of which there are many beautiful strains. 

AUGUST 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Annuals for winter and spring flowering 
may be easily raised in a cold frame at this season from seed sown 
in pots. Make a sowing to-day of, say. Mignonette and Nemophila. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a sowing of Cauliflower seed. 
The young plants will require some protection during the winter. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the sowing of annuals. A selection 
of Godetias should certainly be included. There are many named 
strains and the double-flowered varieties are very handsome. 

AUGUST 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work begun yesterday 
by making a sowing of other annuals for early flowering, in accord- 
ance with the space at disposal in the cold frame. There is a large 
variety to select from. Try Calvary Clover and Calendula. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Runner Ber.ns and nip 
off the tops of those which are running too vigorously, thus assisting 
them to set. 

64 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Continue the sowing of annuals. The popular 
Larkspur (especially the Dwarf Rocket strain) and the dwarf Lepto- 
siphon (both blue and white) should not be omitted. 

AUGUST 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Complete the work of sowing annuals 
to be raised in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Frtiii Garden. — If all the Celery plants have not 
yet been got out into their permanent quarters, delay no longer — 
do it to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Although the main sowing of annuals has not 
been completed in the last few days' work, the daily routine necessary 
to keep the garden in good order must not be neglected. The dead 
flowers should be picked off day by day, the lawn duly mown, and 
a watch kept lest trailing and climbing plants exceed their limits. 

AUGUST 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Chinese Primulas in the 
cold frame and give larger pots to those which are well rooted. 
Moisten the foliage, give them plenty of air, and shade them from 
the sun. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Earth up some more of the Celery, 
taking care that the earth does not get into the hearts and that the 
plants are moist at the roots before being banked. 

Flower Garden. — Give particular attention to-day to the Holly- 
hocks, Dahlias and other tall-growing plants, which are likely to 
need re-tying to their supports, especially if windy weather has 
prevailed. 

AUGUST 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Go through the Violet bed and select 
some good healthy plants to force into early bloom. Lift them and 
put them in pots in a cold frame, preparatory to removal to the 
greenhouse before winter sets in. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out some of the young 
Cabbages as a supply of Early Coleworts. If planted out now they 
should be ready for cutting in November. 
E 65 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Plant out the seedling Canterbury Bells, Sweet 
Williams and other young perennials as the removal of annuals 
permits. 

AUGUST 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Keep a watch on the Cucumbers and 
on the first appearance of mildew sprinkle them with sulphur dust. 
Cover them at night if the weather be cold. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give attention to the Tomatoes; 
see that they have proper support and training and that the ripen- 
ing fruit is well exposed to the sun. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work in the planting out 
of seedling perennials as space allows. 

AUGUST 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the Melon bed is maintained 
at a good heat and decrease the supply of water as the fruit ripens. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Vegetable Marrows, 
pinching off all superfluous growth, so as to increase their fruit-bear- 
ing, and bringing the flowers well to the light and sunshine. 

Flower Garden. — Resume the sowing of annuals. Shirley Poppy, 
German Scabious, Silene, Sweet Sultan and Virginian Stock all 
deserve a place. 

AUGUST 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — A cold frame will be found very useful 
for storing pots of cuttings. Make preparation to-day to take ad- 
vantage of this, and also fill a sufficient number of pots with light 
soil, well drained. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Unless the weather be wet, lift the 
Shallots to-day and lay them in the open air to ripen. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the sowing of annuals as suggested 
yesterday. 

AUGUST 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Take cuttings of such plants as you 
wish to propagate (say Petunias and Verbenas) and insert the cut- 
tings in some of the pots prepared yesterday, afterwards placing 
them in the appointed frame. 

66 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Brussels Sprouts, 
Broccoli and the Winter Greens and earth them up, unless the weather 
be very dry. 

Flower Garden. — Complete the August sowing of annuals, bear- 
ing in mind that those mentioned are merely suggestive; there are 
many other beautiful annuals very useful as a succession to spring 
flowers. 

AUGUST 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work of making cuttings 
for storing in a cold frame. To-day make cuttings from, say. 
Pelargoniums and Fuchsias, choosing firm and sound shoots for the 
operation. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to give attention to the 
Winter Greens and go over the ground with the hoe to clear it of all 
weeds. Take up by hand any groundsel or sow-thistle in flower 
and burn them at once, without scattering the seed. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the seedling Wallflowers and transplant 
them some 4 or 5 inches apart so as to give them opportunity 
of bushy growth. Plant them firmly in the earth. 



AUGUST 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue and complete the work of 
making cuttings for a cold frame. Marguerites, Pentstemons, 
Ageratums, etc., may be thus propagated. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — See to the Raspberry canes and 
cut down those which have borne fruit. 

Flower Garden. — Plant some of the early-flowering bulbs, such 
as Snowflake (Leucojum) and Snowdrops. 



AUGUST 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a small sowing in a cold frame 
of Hardy White Cos and Hardy Green Cabbage Lettuce seed, so 
that the seedlings may shortly be ready to be transplanted to the 
open ground and stand the winter. 

67 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to give attention to the 
Raspberry canes and see that this year's canes, which are the fruit- 
bearers of next year, have proper room for growth. Thin out if 
necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Look to such spreading clumps of perennials 
as Thrift, Pinks, Sweet Williams, etc., and divide and re-plant if 
desirable. 

AUGUST 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Orchids and examine care- 
fully for any evidence of attacks of thrip, particularly in the young 
growths. Tobacco smoke is the accepted remedy. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Go through the Strawberry beds, 
weeding them thoroughly and cutting off all runners. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of dividing and re- planting 
suggested yesterday. 

AUGUST 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue to give attention to the 
Orchids, withholding water from those where flowering has ceased 
and supplying the strong, growing plants with a weak solution of 
cow-manure. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — New plantations of Strawberry 
plants may yet be made, but must not be delayed. If a new Straw- 
berry bed is desired, make it to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the China Asters, stirring gently the 
soil between them and supplying an occasional watering of liquid 
manure. 

AUGUST 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Complete your special survey of the 
Orchids by sprinkling around them a mixture of soot and lime, as 
a deterrent to insects and a general purifier. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the out-door Vine and 
remove all useless growth. See that the grapes are fully exposed to 
the sun. Thin the bunches, if necessary. 

Flower Garden. — See to the Lavender bushes; the flowers should 
now be ready to be cut for drying. 









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OUR WEEK-END COTTAGE. 
A Border of Hollyhocks. 




OUR WEEK-END COTTAGE. 

ISntrance to the Pergola. 



A CALENDAR 

SEPTEMBER i 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the summer shading of the 
greenhouse is partially withdrawn and that the climbers on the roof 
are sufficiently thinned to admit light and warmth from the sun. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Take a general look round the vege- 
table garden and consider what arrangements have yet to be made 
for the winter and early spring crops, lest you discover, when too 
late, that something has been omitted. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare a small bed, in a suitable situation, of 
good sandy loam for the planting of Dog's-tooth Violets — beautiful 
in their spring flowering and compact foliage. 



SEPTEMBER 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the ventilating arrangements 
in the greenhouse; a well-ventilated, cool house is especially im- 
portant at this time of year to enable the wood of the plants to ripen 
and fit them for the winter. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Weeding must not be neglected; 
to allow the weeds to scatter their seeds brings much future labour. 
Begin to-day to make a thorough weeding among all the crops. 

Flower Garden. — Plant the bulbs of the Dog's-tooth Violet in 
the bed prepared yesterday. To get the best effect plant rather 
closely and use both the white and red varieties. 



SEPTEMBER 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Begin to be more sparing in watering 
the plants in the house, as not rapid growth but continued flowering 
and maturing of wood are now the chief objects in view. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of weeding and 
hoeing, rooting up the weeds by hand where necessary [see 26th 
August) and stirring up the soil round the roots of the plants. 

Flower Garden. — Now is a good season of the year for planting 
bulbs in the open. Put in some Alstroemeria to-day, giving them 
a dry soil and a sunny position, and planting them some 9 inches 
deep. 

69 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

SEPTEMBER 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Chrysanthemums and 
transplant into larger pots those which are coming on well. Stake 
them carefully. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Remove the crops which have 
finished bearing and fork over the ground deeply before planting 
again, manuring where necessary. Trench any ground you may in- 
tend to leave vacant for the winter, so that it may mellow in the frost. 

Flower Garden. — Plant also some Ixias and Sparaxis, which 
need much the same treatment as the Alstrcemerias. A dry sandy 
border under a wall of southern aspect would suit them well. 

SEPTEMBER 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give special attention to-day to the 
Cinerarias. Select those plants from which suckers can be conveni- 
ently taken for propagation. Make cuttings accordingly and pot 
them up. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Earth up the Celery plants which 
have attained their full growth, taking care that the roots are moist 
but the tops dry. 

Flower Garden. — Plant a few of both the English and Spanish 
varieties of the Iris. A rich soil is not requisite for them, but they 
should be lifted and replanted elsewhere every two or three years. 

SEPTEMBER 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Cineraria seedlings, prick 
them off, and pot a few of the most sturdy to push forwarder early 
flowering. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Parsley bed, cutting 
down some of the well-grown roots to provide a new crop before 
winter, and thinning out the seedlings to enable them to stand the 
winter. 

Flower Garden. — Plant also some Fritillarias, especially the 
Crown Imperial, a bulb which produces a handsome spring flowering 
plant and which needs a rich loamy soil and an open position. Set 
the bulbs some 4 to 6 inches deep. 

70 



A CALENDAR 

SEPTEMBER 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Calceolaria seedlings and 
re-pot those whose growth requires it. Keep them close to the 
glass, so as to induce a dwarf habit. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Now that many of the summer 
crops have come to an end and are being cleared away day by day 
the planting of the winter crops should go on apace. Plant out a 
batch of Cauliflowers to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Dahlias, and if you wish to obtain 
first-class specimens of flowers disbud and thin the shoots, tying 
them carefully where required. 

SEPTEMBER 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Let to-day's work be devoted to the 
Pelargoniums, for on their proper care in autumn their future pro- 
fusion of bloom depends. Examine each plant, and any that are 
beginning to go off place out of doors to ripen their wood in the sun. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to give attention to the 
planting out of winter crops. Put in some Cabbages to-day, first 
forking over the ground thoroughly and digging in deeply manure 
or garden refuse. To produce good plants they must grow fast, for 
which a rich soil is necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Continue to give attention to the Dahlias. 
Give them a good soaking of manure water, if the weather be dry, 
and protect the choice blooms from the sun's scorching heat by caps 
of paper. Be vigilant against earwigs, examining the traps frequently 
and destroying the catch. 

SEPTEMBER 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Examine the Heaths for any sign of 
mildew, and on the least appearance of the disease — to which Heaths 
are particularly liable — give the plants infected a dusting of sulphur. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden.— Continue the work of preparing 
the ground for winter crops, digging up and manuring each plot as 
it becomes vacant. 

Flower Garden. — See to the Hollyhocks, thinning and tying the 
shoots where necessary, and supplying them with manure water 
as a means of prolonging their bloom. Keep a continuous watch 
for earwigs. 

71 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

SEPTEMBER lo 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue to give attention to the 
Heaths. Examine each plant and see that it is well drained, with 
no stagnant water at the roots, as a preventive of attacks of 
mildew. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out another batch of Cab- 
bages, allowing for the larger kinds a distance of about 2 feet 
each way between the plants. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out the young Pansy cuttings which 
have rooted well and prick out the seedlings which are sufficiently 
advanced. 

SEPTEMBER 11 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Now is a suitable time for beginning 
to plant Crocuses for indoor decoration. Choose a few good named 
varieties and plant some to-day in pots, seed-pans or shallow boxes 
filled with rich light soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out another batch of Cauli- 
flowers for the winter. 

Flower Garden. — Prick out the seedlings from the open-air sow- 
ing of Polyanthuses and Auriculas, planting them into a bed of good 
soil and in a shady situation. 

SEPTEMBER 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot up a few roots of tuberous Ane- 
mones, putting them i or 2 inches deep in good soil, with the 
eyes upward. Place them in a frame where they are secure from 
frost and water them plentifully when they begin to flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out some of the Endive, 
choosing a dry and well-drained situation. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of pricking out Polyanthus 
and Auricula seedlings. 

SEPTEMBER 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Re-pot the Agapanthuses and place 
them in a frame to winter. The plants are gross feeders and there- 
fore need to be re-potted annually in well-manured loamy soil. Take 
care not to injure the roots. 

72 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Lettuce seedlings and 
plant out any that are large enough. It is well to get them out as 
soon as they are ready, so that they may be established before 
winter. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Brompton Stocks which were 
planted out last month, and if they are becoming at all soft and 
lanky hft and re-plant them, thus checking over-rapid growth to 
enable them to stand the winter. 

SEPTEMBER 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Plant some Ixia and Sparaxis bulbs 
in pots filled with good sandy soil. They will do well in a frame and 
need no coddling, but plenty of air. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — A final sowing of Lettuce seed may 
still be made in the open if a hardy variety be chosen, such as Bath 
Cos. Make a sowing to-day in well-dug but unmanured ground. 

Flower Garden. — Give attention to the Lilies of the Valley. See 
that the bed is in proper condition and give it a top-dressing of well- 
rotted manure. 

SEPTEMBER 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to those Pelargoniums which 
were put out of doors a few days ago, and if the season's wood has 
become tinged with brown cut the plants down to within three or 
four eyes of the old wood, and place in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift some of the main crop of 
Potatoes, especially if the weather be favourable. 

Flower Garden. — Take a general look round the flower garden 
and see what arrangements are best for the further planting of spring- 
flowering bulbs. Cut down the stems of all perennials which have 
ceased to flower. 

SEPTEMBER 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Do not forget to attend to the remain- 
ing Pelargoniums, which need to be turned out of doors to ripen 
their wood in the sun. {See 8th inst.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — New plantations of Asparagus 
may suitably be made at this season. If the present bed be in- 
sufficient, begin the preparation of a new one to-day. 

73 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Make a further planting of spring flowering 
bulbs, say Snowdrops and Scillas (Squills), the flowers of which, 
appearing together, make a beautiful combination of white and 
blue. 

SEPTEMBER 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Balsams and Cockscombs 
in the frames, and those which are coming into flower make use of 
for indoor decoration. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of making a 
new Asparagus bed. The soil should be rich and fairly dry. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the planting of spring flowering 
bulbs and let to-day's planting include some more Fritillarias. 
Besides the Crown Imperial there are many beautiful varieties of 
delicate tints of colour. 

SEPTEMBER 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to any other flowers which are 
coming on in the frames — such as Violets, Carnations, Pinks, etc. 
Pot them up and bring them into the greenhouse, giving them slight 
heat to ensure their blooming during the winter. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Apples, and those 
which are ripe, as shown by their parting easily from the branch, 
gather at once. 

Flower Garden. — In continuation of the planting of bulbs, put 
in the Fritillaria called Snake's-head. Unlike most of the Fritil- 
larias it prefers a moist soil and does well in the grass. 

SEPTEMBER 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue yesterday's work at the 
frames in the potting up and removal of such plants as are ready to 
be brought on for winter blooming indoors. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — See to the early-ripening Pears 
and gather those which are easily detached from the bough, lest, 
if allowed to remain after they are ripe, they fall and are bruised. 

Flower Garden. — The Bulhocodium vernum is too good to be 
omitted from the early-flowering bulbs. Put in some to-day 
planting about 2 inches deep. 

74 



A CALENDAR 

SEPTEMBER 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the various cuttings which 
were put to strike in the frames, either in pots or otherwise. Pot 
up those that have rooted in the frames and shift into single pots 
those which were struck in pots or pans. 

Vegetable and Fntit Garden. — Such of the gathered fruit as you 
desire to store lay up on shelves in a dry and airy place, not allowing 
any of the fruits to touch each other. 

Flower Garden. — Make a further clearing of the borders in pre- 
paration for the planting of spring flowers, taking up the annuals 
which are over and cutting down the perennials which have ceased 
to bloom. 

SEPTEMBER 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Do not forget the Pelargoniums which 
were turned out of doors on the i6th inst., and cut down the plants 
as soon as they are ready. {See 15th inst.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the wall-fruit — Peaches, 
Apricots, Nectarines, etc. — and make a further thinning of the 
fruit if necessary, and also of any leaves which may be shading the 
fruit from the sun. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of clearing the borders, 
digging them up and manuring them where necessary. 

SEPTEMBER 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work of potting up cut- 
tings struck in the frames. {See 20th inst.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to give attention to the 
wall-fruit — Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines, etc. Carefully nail in 
the new shoots required for future bearing and remove any not 
needed. 

Flower Garden. — Lift the Gladioli which are dying down and 
store them away in a dry shed. It is a good plan to tie them in 
bunches and hang them from the rafters. 

SEPTEMBER 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give attention to the seedlings raised 
in the frames and shift them into pots of such size as will best en- 
courage growth. 

75 



A YEAR'S GARDE:NING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Cherry trees and prune 
away interior and cross shoots on Standard trees, but remember 
that the Cherry is hable to " gumming " and will not bear severe 
pruning. 

Flower Garden. — Lift the Tigridia (Tiger-flower) bulbs and treat 
them in the same way as the Gladioli. [See 22nd inst.) 

SEPTEMBER 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue yesterday's work of potting 
up the seedlings in the frames — such as Calceolaria, Cineraria, etc., 
etc. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Plum trees, cutting 
away any shoots of gross growth, but reserving all short- jointed 
wood. 

Flower Garden. — Lift those roots of Marvel of Peru which you 
have decided to store during the winter and re-plant in the spring. 
This method produces larger plants than can be obtained when 
treated as an annual or biennial. 

SEPTEMBER 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Cucumbers and remember 
that the frames in which they are should now be closed early. Cut 
the fruit immediately it is fit and promptly remove all decaying 
leaves. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue to be vigilant in your 
efforts to defend the wall-fruit from the attacks of insects [see 
4th and 5th August) until all the fruit is picked. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Roses and cut back any of the 
perpetuals which seem to have a chance of a third bloom. 

SEPTEMBER 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Melons, and if the fruit 
is tardy in ripening give a new lining to the hot-bed. Close the 
frames early each day. 

Vegetable and Frtiit Garden. — Examine the Fruit trees for any 
appearance of red-spider, which at this season of the year, especially 
in dry weather, is often prevalent. Spray the trees with flour of 
sulphur as a preventive or cure. 

76 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Give some special attention to-day to the 
Roses generally, cutting off each flower immediately (or even be- 
fore) it comes to maturity and assisting the trees in^any other way 
which may tend to prolong bloom. 

SEPTEMBER227 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Do not forget to make provision for 
salads, which are always useful for the table. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift some more of the main crop 
of Potatoes, not waiting for the complete dying down of the haulm 
if the tubers are fully grown ; they will ripen as well, if not better, 
when lifted and stored. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Roses which have been budded 
early in the season and release the ties which bind the buds, so as 
to give freedom for growth. 

SEPTEMBER 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Roses which are in pots 
in the greenhouse and re-pot those which require it. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of lifting and 
storing the Potatoes, taking care not to bruise them. 

Flower Garden. — Devote the three last days of this month to 
more particular attention to routine work — to the lawn, the paths, 
the edgings, the removal of withered stems and flowers and all 
weeds, the clearing away of all growth that is dead or useless, etc., 
etc. 

SEPTEMBER 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Bring into the greenhouse such plants 
as Camellias, Azaleas, etc., which may have been standing m the 
open during the summer. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prepare the ground from which 
the Potatoes have been lifted for some other crop — say Spinach. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of general clearing up and 
putting in good order. 

77 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

SEPTEMBER 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the plants now coming into 
flower in the greenhouse are so placed that they obtain proper light 
and heat and are kept moderately moist. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out some of the Prickly 
Spinach recently sown, making use (if desirable) of the ground pre- 
pared yesterday. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of general clearing up and 
putting in good order. 

OCTOBER I 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make a beginning to-day in the re- 
moval to their winter quarters of such bedding and half-hardy plants 
as you wish to preserve. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Go over the seed-beds and weed 
them thoroughly by hand so as not to disturb the seedlings. 

Flower Garden. — See to the transplanting of hardy annuals — 
an advantageous procedure where the soil is light. 

OCTOBER 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work of housing such 
plants as you wish to preserve throughout the winter. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift and store the remaining 
Potatoes {see 27th and 28th Sept.), but if the weather be wet, post- 
pone the work to the first dry day. 

Flower Garden. — Now is a good time for the main planting of 
Crocuses. Make a beginning to-day. 

OCTOBER 3 

'''■'* Greenhouse and Frames. — A good method of storing such Gera- 
niums as you wish to keep for the next season is to take them 
up, cut off the tops, prune in the roots and pack them close together 
in some rough wooden boxes with earth that is almost dry. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Weed the Asparagus bed, cutting 
down any remaining stems, and top-dress liberally with well-decayed 
manure. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of putting in Crocuses. To 
be effective they should be planted liberally. 

73 



A CALENDAR 

OCTOBER 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work of storing the 
Geraniums, and when packed in boxes {see 3rd inst.) put them away 
in some shed or outhouse, or under the greenhouse staging, where 
there is httle hght and where frost will not penetrate. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If you still have any young winter 
greens to plant out, do not delay — do it to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Take advantage of any moist weather that 
may now occur to move evergreen shrubs and plant fresh ones. 

OCTOBER 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the cuttings in the frames, 
such as Ageratums, Calceolarias, Cinerarias, Petunias, Verbenas, 
etc., and pot up and transfer to the greenhouse those which are well 
rooted and are ready for bringing forward. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Raspberry canes, and 
if you wish to extend the plantation this is a suitable time for 
doing so. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the lawn, and where any bare patches 
occur lay down new turf or (better still) renovate by sowing seed. 

OCTOBER 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue to give attention to the cut- 
tings in the frames, potting up and transferring to the greenhouse 
so far as space permits. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a general clearing of all 
succulent refuse, laying it in a trench (as previously advised) to rot 
for manure. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out any young Pansies that have not yet 
been transferred from the seed-bed and pot up those which you 
destine for early flowering, placing them in the shelter of the frame 
or greenhouse. 

OCTOBER 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Complete, if possible, the potting up 
and proper arrangement of the cuttings planted in the frames. 
Many of them may be allowed to remain in the frames if protected 
from frost by mats, etc. 

79 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the gathering and storing 
of Apples and Pears [see i8th, 19th and 20th Sept.), taking advan- 
tage of any fine weather for the purpose. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare a bed of rich light loam, well drained, 
for the reception of some good Hyacinth bulbs. 

OCTOBER 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Go carefully over the plants recently 
brought into the greenhouse and see that they are placed in suitable 
positions — make, in fact, a general rearrangement. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Now is the time for planting Fruit 
trees. Prepare the ground where they are intended to be planted 
by draining and making any necessary alteration in the character 
of the soil. 

Flower Garden. — Plant specially-selected Hyacinths in the bed 
prepared for them. For the best effect put them in about 6 inches 
apart and fully 6 inches deep in the soil. 

OCTOBER 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look carefully through all the plants 
in the greenhouse, especially those which have been brought in re- 
cently, re-potting where required and removing those which may 
be scarcely worth retaining. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue 3^esterday's work in the 
preparation of the ground in which Fruit trees are to be planted. 

Flower Garden. — Prepare a bed of good light soil for the reception 
of Tulips. 

OCTOBER 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the frames generally, and 
arrange their contents to the best advantage. See that proper 
ventilation is provided and remove the frame-lights on fine days. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant the Fruit trees for which the 
ground has been prepared, first removing all broken or bruised 
root-fibres. Take care that the roots are spread out evenly and that 
the " collar " — where the roots join the stem — is kept at the surface 
of the soil. 

80 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Plant Tulips in the bed prepared for them, 
about 6 inches apart and 4 or 5 inches deep, selecting the 
varieties with due consideration to their time of blooming. 

OCTOBER II 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give careful attention to the Chry- 
santhemums which are coming into bloom and supply them liberally 
with diluted manure water. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Now, also, is the time to prune the 
roots of those Fruit trees which by their excessive foliage and lack 
of fruit have shown that the operation is required. Make a begin- 
ning of the work to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Choose a suitable bed for planting Pheasant's 
Eye and other Narcissus, and double and single Daffodils. A shady 
border or a bed abutting on a shrubbery may be suggested — the 
soil is not important if well drained. Plant the bulbs 4 to 8 inches 
apart and 6 to 9 inches deep, according to size. 

OCTOBER 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot up and bring into the greenhouse 
some of the Chrysanthemums which have been grown for that 
purpose in the open. After potting, water them well and keep them 
in the shade for a short time. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of root-pruning 
the Fruit trees. 

Flower Garden. — Plant in good-sized patches some bulbs of 
Winter Aconite. Neither soil nor situation are of importance. 

OCTOBER 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Strawberry plants which 
have been potted for forcing and remove to the frames any which 
may have been left in the open, closing the frame-lights on any 
suspicion of frost and as protection from heavy rain. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Fruit bushes and lift 
and re-plant those which have been undisturbed for three years or 
more. 

F 81 



A YEARS GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Attend to the winter protection of the Holly- 
hocks, placing any special plants under glass and covering the others 
with light litter. 

OCTOBER 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that you are maintaining a suffi- 
cient supply of salading in the frames by making successional sow- 
ings from time to time. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of lifting and 
re-planting the Fruit bushes. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out tuberous-rooted Anemones, digging 
deeply and manuring thoroughly. 

OCTOBER 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the plants in the greenhouse 
that are coming into flower. The Tuberoses, for instance, should 
now be showing flower-spikes and should have some weak manure 
water. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a final gathering of fruit 
(unless the weather be wet), such as late Plums, Quinces, Medlars, 
etc. 

Flower Garden. — Make a selection from a good catalogue of such 
new Rose trees as you require and order them without delay. 

OCTOBER 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the Primulas which are begin- 
ning to show signs of bloom. Place them where they can have plenty 
of light and nip off the early flower-stems if the plants are small. 
Give weak manure water occasionally. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Strawberry beds, 
removing any runners which may have become evident since the 
last nipping, digging carefully (so as not to injure the roots of the 
plants) between the rows and at the same time applying a light 
dressing of manure. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the existing Rose trees and protect 
the roots by drawing the earth closely around them. 



A CALENDAR 

OCTOBER 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Be careful in watering, both in green- 
house and frames. Plants which have just done flowering generally 
need rest and should be kept fairly dry at the roots. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Plant out any Lettuces that may 
still remain in the seed-bed and make a fresh sowing in a frame. 

Flower Garden. — Take a general survey of the borders with a 
view to deciding what they require in the way of digging, trench- 
ing and manuring. 

OCTOBER 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the pot Lilies. Those which 
have flowered should be removed from the greenhouse, placed in 
a cold frame and watered very sparingly. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Fruit trees recently 
planted, and now that the ground has had time to settle provide 
the trees with suitable stakes and tie them carefully and firmly. 

Flower Garden. — Make a beginning in the digging and manuring 
of such borders as require it, lifting the plants and putting them 
aside temporarily before starting to dig. 

OCTOBER 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the Roses in pots and select 
some of the strongest for forcing into early bloom. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of staking and 
tying the newly-planted Fruit trees. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of digging and manuring 
the borders, and re-place the plants temporarily lifted. 

OCTOBER 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prune those Roses which you selected 
yesterday and plunge the pots into a hot-bed of a temperature of 
about 45°. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift the remainder of the Carrots, 
taking care to raise them whole, and store them in sand. 

Flower Garden. — Where the summer bedding plants are finally 
cleared begin to put in the spring plants, such as Wallflowers, For- 
get-me-nots, Polyanthuses, etc. 

83 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

OCTOBER 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Azaleas which have been 
brought into the greenhouse for spring flowering and cut back any 
straggling branches. Mix some soot with the water given them. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift the Beetroots, taking care not 
to bruise or break them, and put them in store. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of putting in the spring 
bedding plants. Daisies, Primroses, Violas, etc., may be added to 
yesterday's list. 

OCTOBER 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Attend to the Camellias, sponging the 
leaves occasionally and supplying the plants with liquid manure as 
the buds develop. See that they have sufficient air, or the buds 
will drop. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Take up the Turnips and store them. 
[Note. — Choose a dry day for the lifting of all root crops.) 

Flower Garden. — Let the chief work of this day be the planting 
of the new Rose trees {see 15th inst.), taking care not to expose the 
roots to sun or wind. It may be advisable to water them thoroughly 
after planting. 

OCTOBER 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the Hyacinths which have been 
placed in the frames and bring into the greenhouse those which you 
wish to press forward for early flowering. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — See to the Onions; draw those 
which have come to maturity and spread them in a sunny situation 
to ripen and dry before storing. 

Flower Garden. — The lifting and division of hardy perennials 
may still be done. Take note of any which require such treatment, 
and lift, divide and re-plant them to-day. 

OCTOBER 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the other bulbs which are to be 
brought forward for winter flowering and make such arrangements 
as will give a desirable succession of bloom. 

84 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Dig up and manure where necessary 
those plots of ground rendered vacant by the lifting of the root 
crops. 

Flower Garden. — Plant out biennials — such as Canterbury Bells, 
Honesty, etc., etc. — in the places where they are to flower. 

OCTOBER 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Violets in the frames and 
see that they have proper space and air. Nip off any dead leaves 
and stir the surface of the soil. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of digging up 
the vacant plots of ground, trenching and laying up in rough ridges 
any which are not required for autumn planting. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the perennial border edgings — such 
as Thrift, London Pride, Ivy, etc. — and where they are exceeding 
proper limits take them up, divide and re-plant them. 

OCTOBER 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Bouvardias, and give 
weak liquid manure to those plants which have begun to flower. 

Vegetable and Fritit Garden. — Lift the Parsnips as soon as there 
has been a little frost to sweeten them. 

Flower Garden. — Now is a good time for planting bulbs in the 
turf. Consider what increase you can advantageously make to 
those already growing there, putting in new bulbs where desirable. 
Snowdrops, Snowflakes, Scilla and Crocuses are all excellent for the 
purpose. 

OCTOBER 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Devote the time at your disposal to- 
day to overhauhng the heating apparatus and seeing that it is put 
in good working order. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Earth up the remainder of the 
Celery and make the necessary preparations for covering it in case 
of frost. 

85 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Lift and re-plant Rose trees which have been 
established for some years; they are often much benefited by the 
process. 

OCTOBER 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prepare the frames for protection 
against sudden frost, such as often occurs in the early days of 
November. Make a bank of cinder-ash round the outside of the 
frames and have some mats in readiness to cover the lights. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Pick all the out-door Tomatoes 
which have not yet been gathered and put them in a sunny place in 
the greenhouse to ripen. 

Flower Garden. — Attend to those borders which you have de- 
cided need not be dug up and give them a mulching of well-decayed 
manure. 



OCTOBER 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the cuttings in the frames — 
Ageratums, Petunias, Verbenas, Calceolarias, Cinerarias, etc. 
Keep them from frost and damp but do not force them forward. 
Ventilate freely, water sparingly. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Sea-kale, removing all 
dead leaves and giving the roots a light covering of ashes. 

Flower Garden. — Look to see if you have omitted to lift any 
bulbs which ought to be stored during the winter, and take them 
up to-day. 

OCTOBER 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the pot plants stored in the 
frames, such as Lilies of the Valley, Violets, Pansies, Polyanthuses, 
Auriculas, etc., which are to be brought on for winter and early 
spring flowering, and keep their growth in check until transferred 
to the greenhouse. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Devote to-day to hoeing and weed- 
ing among the standing crops. 

86 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Devote the time at your disposal during the 
last two days of this month to clearing, weeding and general tidying 
up of the garden preparatory for the winter. 

OCTOBER 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that your receptacles for rain- 
water are of sufficient capacity and suitably supplied. Soft water 
is far better for plants than the cold filtered water drawn from the 
Water Companies' mains. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Gather up all decaying rubbish 
and dead leaves, clearing up generally as far as possible. 

Flower Garden. — Continue yesterday's work of clearing, weeding 
and general tidying up. 

NOVEMBER i 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Take advantage of the fine bright 
weather which, after an early morning frost, so often prevails during 
the first few days of this month, and see that greenhouse and frames 
are well open to air and sunshine but closed before sunset. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the store of material you 
have on hand for protecting against frost and make suitable and 
plentiful provision of what you are likely to require. 

Flower Garden. — Now is a suitable time for thinning out an over- 
grown shrubbery and for pruning shrubs generally. Make a begin- 
ning to-day. 

NOVEMBER 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the plants in greenhouse and 
conservatory are arranged according to their needs, and bring those 
which are in bloom, or about to flower, into light and warmth, 
relegating the others to shadier and cooler positions. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a rough plan of the garden 
and its crops of the past year with a view to giving a proper rotation 
of crops and of improving future arrangement in the light of past 
experience. 

Flower Garden. — Continue your work on the shrubbery and re- 
move such bushes as are not doing well. This is the season for 
making alterations and improvements. 

87 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

NOVEMBER 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give due attention to the frames day 
by day, keeping them closed in cold damp weather and well protected 
from the inroads of frost, but bearing in mind that the plants mostly 
need rest, not incitement to growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Collect all dry and non-succulent 
rubbish, which has not been buried in the rubbish trench, prepara- 
tory to burning. The resultant ashes will be found most useful. 

Flower Garden. — On the assumption that by thinning and re- 
moval space can now be found, plant such shrubs as Aralia Japonica, 
Magnolia grandiflora, and some of the Spirasas. 

NOVEMBER 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Be careful in watering the greenhouse 
plants and see that flowers and leaves are kept dry — a most import- 
ant point at this time of year. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Dig up and manure any ground 
that needs the process, trenching into rough ridges any plots which 
you propose to leave vacant for the winter's frost to operate upon. 

Flower Garden. — Plant also some flowering shrubs, such as the 
red Pyrus Japonica, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Yellow Broom, etc. 

NOVEMBER 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Use discretion in the amount of water 
given, proportioning it to the need of each plant, some requiring 
much more than others. Water thoroughly when, but not before, 
the plant is dry. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a bonfire of the dry rubbish 
collected on the 3rd inst. and see that it burns well until all is reduced 
to ashes. 

Flower Garden. — Consider whether any improvement can be made 
in the garden by adding to the hardy creepers, and act accordingly. 

NOVEMBER 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — If possible, use rain-water for all plants, 
and let it be slightly warmer than the temperature in which they are 
growing. 

88 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Carefully collect the ashes from 
the bonfire and store them for future use under cover from the wet. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Dahlias, and be ready at the first 
sign of the flowers being touched with frost to lift and store the tubers 
in some dry place. Label them and hang them up stalks down- 
ward. 



NOVEMBER 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Give constant attention to the tem- 
perature of the greenhouse and keep it as uniform as possible. With 
a dry atmosphere a comparatively low temperature (say, 40° to 
45°) may be permitted. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If it be desirable to break up new 
ground for future planting let it be done at once. 

Flower Garden. — Cut down the Hollyhock stems and propagate 
any variety you desire to increase by lifting and dividing the stools. 



NOVEMBER 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the plants which are coming 
into flower. The Chrysanthemums, for instance, should now have 
close attention. Be careful that they are not crowded, lest the leaves 
fall. Pick off dead leaves and keep the soil loosened and free from 
weeds. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the garden paths, weeding 
them thoroughly and repairing them where necessary. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the reserve beds of Polyanthuses. 
Stir the surface of the soil and give a top-dressing of well-rotted 
cow manure. 



NOVEMBER 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continuing your attention to the 
Chrysanthemums, make a practice of watering them in the morn- 
ing, so that the moisture may have gone before the cold of the night 
has set in. Give manure water while the flowers are expanding. 

89 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift and store some of the Jerusalem 
Artichokes, in order that they may be at hand when inclement 
weather or hard frost prevents their being dug up. The rest may 
be lifted as required. 

Flower Garden. — Put in some roots of Lilies, planting rather 
deep and in such a quantity as to form a good-sized clump, and 
choosing a site where the soil is fairly rich loam. 

NOVEMBER lo 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look out for earwigs among the 
Chrysanthemums and set the usual traps. Be on the watch, also, 
for caterpillars, searching for them after dark with a lantern and 
destroying them. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make a small sowing of Peas in a 
sheltered and well-drained border, in soil that has been well dug 
but not quite recently manured. 

Flower Garden. — If you still have any Tulip bulbs not yet planted, 
put them in to-day — it is not too late. Set deep and in a sunny 
position. 

NOVEMBER ii 

Greenhouse and Frames. — The scarlet Salvias should now be com- 
ing into bloom. Give them due attention, treating them much in 
the same way as Chrysanthemums. {See 8th, gth and loth inst.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make, also, a sowing of Longpod 
Broad Beans in a dry soil and sheltered from the north, if possible. 
They may be put in rather close together with a view of transplant- 
ing every other one in the early spring. 

Flower Garden. — Put in one or two clumps of Galtonia [Hya- 
cinthus candicans), a plant which shows well in isolated groups 
against a leafy background. Give plenty of room. 

NOVEMBER 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Chinese Primroses and try 
and keep them hardy and robust by such ventilation and low tem- 
perature as may be consistent with protection from frost, damp and 
cutting winds. 

90 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Put in a few Potatoes for an early 
crop, if you have at disposal a sheltered border with dry sandy soil. 

Flower Garden. — Unless frost appears to be imminent (which is 
unlikely as yet) there is still time to put in Roses. If you have not 
already completed your planting order what you require to-day. 

NOVEMBER 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the various pots of Mignonette. 
They should now be coming on in succession for ilowering through- 
out the winter. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If the Asparagus bed has not yet 
been cleaned, see that it is done to-day, cutting down the dead 
grass, removing all weeds and rubbish, and giving it a good dressing 
of stable manure. 

Flower Garden. — Earth up aU Tea-rose bushes after the fashion of 
earthing potatoes. Also spread some light covering, such as dry 
bracken, over the bushes to protect them from frost. 

NOVEMBER 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Begonias (tuberous- 
rooted), which for their foliage, as well as flower, are valuable as 
greenhouse plants. Keep them clean and free from damp and as 
warm as possible. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Globe Artichokes, 
cutting them down to within a foot or so of the ground and heaping 
up some light litter against them as a protection from frost. Do 
not cover the hearts. 

Flower Garden. — Plant Peonies (of the Chinese or Herbaceous 
kind) in a well-dug soil with plenty of decayed cow manure. There 
are many beautiful varieties, but do not omit the old-fashioned 
Crimson Peony. 

NOVEMBER 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Azaleas and see that they 
have a suitable place in the greenhouse. For the present they 
should be kept cool and dry. 

91 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift some of the Sea-kale for forcing, 
removing it to a pit or shed where frost cannot reach it. 

Flower Garden. — Put in any Roses you have ordered as soon as 
they arrive. Exposure of the roots, especially in a cold, dry wind, 
is most injurious to the plants. 

NOVEMBER i6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Heaths and treat them 
much in the same way as the Azaleas. {See 15th inst.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Cauliflowers, and those 
which are showing a fair head protect from frost with a light cover- 
ing. Take up those which are sufficiently matured and store them 
for future use out of reach of frost. 

Flower Garden. — Plant any Standard Briars which you may 
need for future budding. 

NOVEMBER 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Let the Camellias have your special 
attention to-day and consider whether they have the best situation 
you can afford them. The buds should now be swelling and a cold 
draught will often cause them to drop. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Trench a plot of ground for a new 
bed of Asparagus to be made in the spring. 

Flower Garden. — Put in any Climbing Roses you have received. 
An old stump or a withered tree will make an effective support and 
good rambling space for a Crimson Rambler or a Dorothy Perkins, a 
Paul's Carmine or an Aime Vibert. 



NOVEMBER 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continuing your attention to the 
Camellias, see that they are kept at as uniform a temperature as 
possible (say, 45°) and water them sparingly. They do not need 
such liberal food and water as the gross-feeding Chrysanthemum. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Gooseberry and Currant 
bushes, removing any dead wood but deferring final pruning until 
spring. 

92 



A CALENDAR 

Flower Garden. — Loosen the soil in the borders as much as pos- 
sible before the frost hardens it, so that when the frost comes its 
beneficial action may penetrate the ground. 

NOVEMBER 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Cinerarias. Trim them 
up into a good shape and shift into larger pots those which require 
it. Bring them forward with occasional doses of manure water and 
destroy with tobacco smoke any aphis which may appear. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden.— Loosen the earth round the Goose- 
berry and Currant bushes, taking care not to lacerate the roots, and 
give them a liberal mulching of manure. A dressing of lime may also 
be useful. 

Flower Garden. — Give to-day's time at your disposal to preserving 
the good appearance of the garden. Cut down dead stems, remove 
all that is withered and unsightly, and tidy up the borders generally. 

NOVEMBER 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Calceolarias and adopt 
the same treatment as that recommended for the Cinerarias. [See 
19th inst.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Standard Fruit trees, 
especially the older ones, and scrape off any lichen or moss which 
may have appeared. 

Flower Garden. — Continue the work of tidying up generally. 
Sweep the lawn gently but thoroughly and roll it well in two direc- 
tions. Sweep the paths and collect all rubbish, depositing decaying 
matter in the rubbish trench and reserving the remainder for future 
burning. 

NOVEMBER 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Go through the Pansies which have 
been potted up for early flowering. Trim them up generally and 
select the most vigorous plants for placing in a warm position where 
they may be brought into bloom as soon as possible. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue your work on the Standard 
Fruit trees and wash over the trunks and branches with warm lime- 
water. 

93 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — Bear in mind when tidying up the garden and 
collecting the rubbish that dead leaves are particularly valuable for 
making composts of leaf mould and may advantageously be kept in 
a separate heap. Oak and Beech leaves are especially useful as 
heat producers during fermentation. 

NOVEMBER 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Pelargoniums and try and 
keep them at a temperature of about 45°. Thin out and train them, 
shifting into larger pots if necessary. If the soil is infested with 
worms, apply clear lime-water three or four times daily for two or 
three days. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a top-dressing of manure 
to the Apple trees — especially the old trees. Pear trees seldom 
need it. 

Flower Garden. — Add to your collection of garden rubbish any 
odd pieces of old turf or lumps of soil, exhausted manure from old 
hot-beds, sand and gravel sweepings, etc., etc., and allow them to 
decompose together, turning over the heap occasionally. No 
garden rubbish should be wasted. 

NOVEMBER 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the plants stored in the frames 
and guard against excessive moisture as well as frost, frost being 
much more injurious when the plants are damp. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Raspberry canes and 
gently fork up the ground between the stools, afterwards giving them 
a mulching of manure. 

Flower Garden. — Such a heap of rubbish as that referred to under 
yesterday's daily work will be found very useful, with an addition 
of cow manure, in planting Roses where a light soil prevails. 

NOVEMBER 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the bulbs which have been 
placed in the frames to germinate. Beware of damp, and keep them 
dry until you move them forward into the greenhouse for bringing 
into flower. 

94 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look over the newly-planted 
Strawberry bed and draw up the earth around each plant, after- 
wards spreading a slight covering of manure as a further nourish- 
ment and protection to the roots. 

Flower Garden. — A really ornamental hedge may be made from 
the Japanese Fruiting Rose [Rosa Rtigosa) , and a delightfully fragrant 
one from the Sweet Briar. Give the matter your consideration 
to-day and act without delay. Now is a favourable time. 

NOVEMBER 25 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Keep up a sufficient supply of salading 
by making successional sowings in the frames, bearing in mind that 
the seed will be slow in germinating during cold weather. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Lift some of the Broccoli plants 
and re-plant them in a trench as a means of protecting them from 
frost. This method may retard their growth but often prevents 
them from being killed by frost. 

Flower Garden. — If you decide on planting a hedge such as that 
suggested yesterday, dig the ground deeply and incorporate with 
the soil a mixture of manure, burnt garden refuse and a little old 
mortar, if procurable. 

NOVEMBER 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the Cauliflowers in the frames 
are in satisfactory condition. Remove any decaying leaves and look 
for and destroy all vermin. Give the soil a sprinkling of a mixture 
of soot and wood ashes. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Take up the Horseradish roots 
and store them in a dry place ready for use. Make new plantations. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Ferraria (or Tigridia) bulbs and 
lift them for the winter unless they are in a dry soil and a sunny 
situation; they are apt to decay in cold moisture. 

NOVEMBER 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the welfare of all the vegetables 
in the frames, such as Carrots, Onions, Lettuces, Radishes, etc. Let 
them have as much air and exposure as may be consistent with pro- 
tection from frost, and water sparingly, lest mould ensue. 

95 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Celery bed, and if it 
appears over-saturated with rain, cut a trench for an outlet of 
the water. Excessive moisture, especially when followed by frost, 
will certainly damage the crop. 

Flower Garden, — If you still have any bulbs on hand, get them 
in without delay to fill up odd spaces. 

NOVEMBER 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the renewal of the hot-beds and 
make an adequate provision of fermenting material for use, as re- 
quired, in the way of re-making and re-lining the hot-beds and as 
protection for the frames. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the wall-trained Fruit trees 
and do such autumn pruning as may be necessary. Gently loosen 
the soil around the roots and give a light mulching of manure for 
some distance from the main stem. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the beds in which the spring-flowering 
bulbs are planted, and if, through mild weather, the growth is un- 
usually forward, protect the beds with loose litter of some sort. 

NOVEMBER 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue the work of re-making and 
preparing material for the hot-beds and frames. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give attention to the beds where 
crops are standing, such as Turnips, Spinach, Cauliflowers, Broccoli, 
Cabbages, etc. Keep the plots clean and well hoed. 

Flower Garden. — Give particular attention to the lawn with a 
view to deciding whether some worm-killer is required. If the grass 
is soft and sticky and disfigured with a miiltitude of worm-casts 
apply Carter's Worm Killer. 

NOVEMBER 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to your supply of compost and 
make such addition as may be necessary. An adequate and securely- 
stored supply may make the difference between success and failure 
when pressed for time in potting up seedlings. 

96 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of keeping the 
standing crops clean and well hoed. Look out for (and destroy) 
slugs and snails, especially among the Lettuces and Cauliflowers. 
Soot and wood-ashes are a good protection. 

Flower Garden. — Choose a mild, muggy day, if possible, for 
spreading the worm-killer on the lawn, watering it in if necessary. 



DECEMBER i 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the labelling of all plants you 
are storing for the winter and give new labels where necessary. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Make preparations for the manuring 
of the ground and wheel the manure to the various spots where it 
will be wanted. 

Flower Garden. — Look over the bulbs which have been lifted 
and stored for the winter, removing those which are unsound, lest 
they infect the others. {See 27th and 28th Dec.) 



DECEMBER 2 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the plants stored in the frames 
are in good order and arrange those in the greenhouse to the best 
advantage, bringing into light and warmth those which are coming 
into flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue the work of manuring, 
forking the manure over the ground and digging it in. 

Flower Garden. — Attend to the lawn. Weed it carefully, rake 
off any moss that may be present, and sweep it thoroughly. 



DECEMBER 3 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Pot any Lilies which you may still 
have on hand — it is not too late. Place the pots in a cold frame and 
protect them with ashes. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue, and if possible complete, 
the work of manuring the plots of ground which require it. 
G 97 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Flower Garden. — In continuation of your work on the lawn, rake 
over any bare or poor patches, loosening the soil thoroughly, and 
scatter in a little grass seed, patting it down with the back of a spade. 
Then give the whole lawn a top-dressing of some good grass-manure, 
such as Carter's or Sutton's. 

DECEMBER 4 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Keep a watch on the Camellias; now 
that the buds are swelling they need constant attention. {See 
17th and i8th Nov.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Take precautions for scaring the 
birds from the Gooseberry and Currant bushes. The swelling buds 
are tempting morsels to the birds, especially when frost prevails. 

Flower Garden. — Look over the beds, borders and edgings, and 
note where they have become out of shape and are exceeding their 
prescribed limits. Now is a good opportunity to reform them. 

DECEMBER 5 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Examine the Pelargoniums and 
Fuchsias, loosen the soil gently and see that they are not very moist ; 
they are better kept rather dry. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Complete the work begun yester- 
day for protecting the fruit bushes from the depredations of birds. 
Black cotton, wound from twig to twig upon each b'ush, is an ex- 
cellent method. 

Flower Garden. — Complete the work begun yesterday of re- 
shaping and re-forming the borders and edgings. 

DECEMBER 6 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Start some Strawberry plants for an 
early crop, giving them a moderate bottom heat. Use small pots. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look over the fruit you have 
stored — apples especially. See that none of them touch each other, 
and remove any which have begun to decay. 

Flower Garden. — ^As in the vegetable garden {see 8th Dec.) 
consider whether the system of drainage is adequate and improve 
it where necessary. 

98 




IN THE WILD GARDEN. 
A Rose left to its own sweet will. 




IN A COUNTRY GARDEN. 
A glimpse of Stream, Beech-trees, and Drive 



A CALENDAR 

DECEMBER 7 

Greenhouse and Frames. — If you wish to start some young Grape 
Vines now is a good time to do it. Pot the roots carefully in leaf 
mould. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look over the garden tools with a 
view to replenishing them and having any defects repaired. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the garden paths and remove all moss 
and weeds. Fork up the gravel gently and roll thoroughly. 

DECEMBER 8 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Azaleas now coming into 
bloom and beware of allowing them to stand in a draught. Be on 
the lookout for thrips — often induced by too dry an atmosphere — 
and take measures to eradicate without delay. 

Vegetable and Friiit Garden. — Now is a good time for making 
alterations in the garden. Consider whether any are desirable, 
especially in regard to drainage, and act accordingly. 

Flower Garden. — Unless the time must be given to the drainage 
of the garden now is a good opportunity for pruning and training 
the outdoor creepers. 

DECEMBER 9 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Rhododendrons — they 
need watching when they are beginning to flower. Treat them in 
the same way as Azaleas. [See 8th Dec.) 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If any Celery has not yet been 
earthed up, do it without delay and make arrangements for protect- 
ing it from the frost with some light litter. 

Flower Garden. — Dig (trench, if necessary) and manure any 
vacant borders. 



DECEMBER 10 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Heaths and the Epacrises 
now coming forward for bloom, and beware of giving them too much 
water. Free drainage is essential. 

99 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give the Rhubarb bed a Hberal 
mulching, thus preserving the plants from frost, increasing their 
productiveness and inducing an early crop. 

Flower Garden. — Cut down any remaining stems of herbaceous 
perennials (such as Michaelmas Daisies, etc.) and gently loosen the 
earth in the borders, taking care not to up-turn any bulbs. 



DECEMBER ii 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the foliage plants, such as 
Palms, Aspidistras, Indiarubber Plant, etc., and cleanse the leaves 
thoroughly with a wet sponge. A little milk added to the water is 
recommended. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Hoe the surface of the ground 
around the standing crops and earth up the roots as a protection 
against frost. 

Flower Garden. — Put light litter, or leaves weighted with soil, 
round the roots of Rosesand perennials generally, as a protection 
from frost. 

DECEMBER 12 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Keep a strict watch on the Cinerarias 
for any attack of green-fly, to which they are peculiarly liable in all 
stages of their growth. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Consider what trenching and dig- 
ging still remain to be done and make every effort to complete such 
work as soon as possible, before severe frost occurs. 

Flower Garden. — In the absence of any indication of frost occur- 
ring, new turf for edgings, or to repair bare patches in the lawn, 
may still be laid, but do not delay. 



DECEMBER 13 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Roses in pots which you 
are bringing forward for early flowering. See that they are not 
crowded and are kept free from green-fly. 

100 



A CALENDAR 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — If the weather still remains open 
(as is probable) sow a few Peas of an early variety in a well-dug (but 
not recently manured) border with a southern aspect. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the evergreen shrubs, cutting away all 
weak and decaying wood and trimming them into proper shape. 

DECEMBER 14 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See to the climbing plants, tying them 
carefully and pruning where necessary. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Sow, also, some early Long-pod 
Broad Beans, choosing a warm and sheltered position. 

Flower Garden. — Prune and train the outdoor creepers which, 
as yet, you have been unable to attend to. Nail in each stem care- 
fully and judiciously — they will well repay such labour. 

DECEMBER 15 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Make cuttings of early flowering 
Japanese Chrysanthemums. Unless quantity is aimed at insert 
the cuttings singly in thumb-pots and place them in a cold frame. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Do not delay to lift any Beet, 
Carrots, etc., which may have been left in the ground. Lift them 
to-day, if possible, lest the frost catch them, and store them where 
they will be protected from frost. 

Flower Garden. — Make sure that the Tea-roses are protected at 
the roots during hard weather, but during a spell of moist, mild 
weather you will do wisely to remove the litter. 

DECEMBER 16 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the condition of the frames. 
See that they are well protected with manure and stable litter at the 
sides and that a supply of matting is at hand to cover the lights in 
case of frost. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Attend to the Sea-kale ; cover each 
root with a suitable pot and heap it over with manure and litter. 

Flower Garden. — Plant such hedges as Privet and Hawthorn. 

lOI 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

DECEMBER 17 

Greenhouse and Frames. — See that the frames are well ventilated, 
removing the lights entirely on mild sunny mornings but closing 
them early in the afternoon. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Winter Greens and 
sprinkle soot or lime around them as a protection against slugs, 
especially if the weather be mild and moist. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Christmas Roses and protect the 
blooms from inclement weather by covering them with hand-lights. 



DECEMBER 18 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look over your store of pots and sow- 
ing-pans and replenish them, if necessary. Those which are dirty, 
wash now, in readiness for the busy season. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the beds where your seed- 
lings are growing and examine for any appearance of ravages by 
slugs. Sprinkle liberally with soot, as a preventive. 

Flower Garden. — Examine the flower-beds for any appearance 
of slugs and destroy them when found. Sprinkle soot as a protection 
from their ravages. Be on the watch, also, for the depredations of 
rats and mice among the bulbs. 



DECEMBER 19 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Do not forget to keep up your supply 
of small salading. Sow Mustard and Cress from time to time in 
slight heat. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — See to the Endive and begin the 
blanching process by covering it with pots heaped over with litter. 

Flower Garden. — Keep an eye on the reserve bed of annuals, 
defending them against the attacks of slugs in mild weather and 
giving them suitable protection when frost occurs. 

102 



A CALENDAR 

DECEMBER 20 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Carnations and be on the 
watch against damp. Give them as much hght and air as possible 
in j&ne, dry weather. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give a covering of hght htter to 
any Parsnips which have been left in the ground for the frost to 
sweeten and take care to lift them before the ground is hardened. 

Flower Garden. — Look to the Anemones and other choice plants 
wintering out of doors, and give them due protection. 



DECEMBER 21 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Auriculas and Polyan- 
thuses and avoid all tendency to coddling them. Protection from 
frost and damp, not heat, is what they require. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — See to the Globe Artichokes and 
cover the crowns with small heaps of fine ashes. 

Flower Garden. — Make use of all fallen leaves, either collecting 
them into heaps for future use or digging them in at once. 



DECEMBER 22 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Do not neglect the bulbs in the frames. 
Be on the lookout for those that are coming forward and transfer 
them to the greenhouse to flower. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Prepare the Asparagus bed for the 
coming season — ^weed it and clean it thoroughly to-day. 

Flower Garden. — Some hardy perennials may still be planted 
if the weather be mild ; Solomon's Seal and Periwinkle, for instance, 
for the shady border and the rockery respectively. 



DECEMBER 23 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to the Violets in the frames and 
pot up some plants for flowering in the greenhouse. 

103 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Continue your work on the Aspar- 
agus bed and give it a new surface soil of old compost mixed with 
bone-meal. 

Flower Garden. — Cut Holly and Evergreens for Christmas deco- 
rations. 

DECEMBER 24 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Prepare stakes and sticks which will 
be required later on for supporting plants. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Give an eye to the Broccoli, and 
rather than risk losing it, if frost appears imminent, cut all that is 
ready and hang it up in an outhouse or cellar for use when required. 

Flower Garden. — Sweep the lawn, roll the paths and tidy up thf 
garden generally. 



DECEMBER 25 (Christmas Day) 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Take a holiday from actual work, but 
see that the temperature in the greenhouse is properly maintained. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Take a holiday, being Christmas 
Day. 

Flower Garden. — Take a holiday, being Christmas Day. 



DECEMBER 26 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Get some pieces of old cloth and cut 
it into shreds for nailing up Fruit trees and climbers. The cloth 
should be clean, and the shreds may vary in size from a half to one 
inch in width and from three to six inches in length. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to the Fruit trees, and if 
there still remains any pruning not yet done, do it now, provided the 
weather be open and no cutting wind prevails. 

Flower Garden. — Devote the time at your disposal to-day to the 
shrubbery, loosening the earth gently, forking in the fallen leaves 
and clearing away all useless rubbish. 

104 



A CALENDAR 

DECEMBER 27 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look over the bulbs which have been 
Hfted for winter storing, such as Dahhas, GladioH, Begonias, etc., 
and remove any which are unsound. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Examine the Fruit trees for 
American bhght and spray any affected tree with insecticide, first 
pruning it well back. 

Flower Garden. — Shrubs and creepers may still be planted if the 
weather be open and the rainfall not excessive. 



DECEMBER 28 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Continue yesterday's work, examining 
each bulb and testing its soundness by its weight and firmness. By 
rejecting those which are unsound future disappointment may be 
avoided and the contamination of those which are good prevented. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Attend to the Standard Apple 
trees, more particularly to those which are old, and where meagre 
fruiting and poor growth indicate exhaustion of soil, cut a trench 
round the tree and put in some fresh soil mixed with well-rotted 
manure. 

Flower Garden. — Put in some sprigs of Ivy against any bare 
wall, especially one which has a northerly aspect. A little lime 
added to the soil when planting will be beneficial. 



DECEMBER 29 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Look to your compost heaps, turn 
them over from time to time and see that they are kept in good 
condition. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Collect and look over the prunings 
of all sorts which have recently been made and make up into bundles 
those which may be suitable for pea-sticks, etc., storing them away 
in a dry outhouse. 

Flower Garden. — Briars for the future budding of Roses may still 
be planted. 

105 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

DECEMBER 30 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Devote the time at your disposal to- 
day to a general tidying-up of the greenhouse, removing all dead 
leaves and litter, and seeing that the plants are arranged to the best 
advantage. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Look to any crops, such as Lettuce, 
Radishes, etc., which you may have under hand-lights, and be pre- 
pared to cover them with loose litter in case of frost. 

Flower Garden. — Make a rough diagram of the garden with a 
view to improving last season's scheme of colour and arrangement 
of plants. Weigh carefully all causes of failure and success, so that 
you may retrieve the one and maintain the other. 

DECEMBER 31 

Greenhouse and Frames. — Consider if there are any arrears of 
work which can be done to-day, so as to start fair with the New 
Year. 

Vegetable and Fruit Garden. — Bring up all arrears of work, so as 
to start fair with the New Year. 

Flower Garden. — Do what you can towards making up arrears 
of work, so as to start fair with the New Year. 



106 




STEPS TO THE ROCK GARDEN. 
" Sicily in England." 



ALPINE, ROCK AND WALL GARDENS 



THE ALPINE GARDEN 

At one time it was commonly supposed that the Alpine plants, 
which, with their exquisite flowers, so delicately enhance the beauty 
of mountain scenery, could not be grown in lowland regions. The 
knowledge that they were only found at a considerable 
altitude, and the conditions to which they were thus Conditions 
subject — covered throughout the winter with a deep 
bed of snow, under which they rested secure from frost and biting 
wind until the moist and spring-like days appeared — seemed to 
confirm this supposition. The conclusion, however, was found by 
experience to be erroneous, and many a beautiful garden now testi- 
fies to the fact that most of the Alpine plants can be cultivated suc- 
cessfully in this country. For although the conditions of their 
natural habitat cannot usually be had here, such con- ^ , p 
ditions are not essential to the growth of the plants, ° ^^^" *^ 
and the principal reason for their abounding in high regions is be- 
cause no taller vegetation can exist at such an altitude. Upon the 
plains or on the lower slopes of the mountains many of the Alpine 
plants, especially the smaller species, would be over-run by other 
and more vigorous growth, or would be destroyed by the over- 
shadowing of bushes and trees. Hence it is that as, with the in- 
crease of elevation, the more rampant lowland growth fails, the lovely 
Alpine flowers gradually find their opportunity in the struggle for 
existence and finally prevail, unique in their ability to flourish in 
such an environment. 

But though they are so well fitted to grace the habitat in which 
they abound — another instance of the survival of the _ . . 
fittest — it by no means foUows, as already stated, that Requirements 
they cannot be cultivated elsewhere, while a due con- 
sideration of their natural mode of growth is extremely useful in 
determining the essential requirements for what is commonly called 
an Alpine Garden. 

107 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

The first and perhaps the most important of these requirements 
L" ht d ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^' ^°^ bearing in mind the natural environ- 
£^^ ^" ment of Alpine plants it is evident that they must not 

be subjected to any overshadowing by trees or plants 
of large growth. The site chosen for the Alpine Garden should be 
well open to the sun; exposed to the four winds of heaven, if need 
be, but free from cutting draughts and not under the shadow of a 
wall, and such a position may usually be found even in a compara- 
tively small garden. 

The next requirement is that the site shall be properly prepared 
for the plants. It may be that the ground already so lends itself 

to what is necessary that nothing need be done beyond 
f 5^^^^**°° clearing the place and adding here and there a few 

loads of good soil, at the same time making use of the 
natural rock wherever it crops out by planting its crevices and crests. 
But whatever means may have to be taken to embellish the site, 
the golden rule is to avoid all appearance of artificiality. The stone 
jj f h f ^^^^ ^^ used should be that of the neighbourhood, not 
isthere'^ ^ ^^^y ^^ being the easiest to obtain but as the most 

suitable — almost any kind will do, though such as are 
slaty and liable to crumble away should be avoided. Every en- 
deavour should be made to take advantage of the opportunities the 
site may afford — a bank of chalk, for instance, may be most useful, 
as many plants, such as the Dwarf Harebells and Rock Roses, would 
do well there. 

But even assuming that the ground is devoid of any of these 
natural advantages, the case is not hopeless. Elevations may be 
Artificial made artificially, though there is a right and a wrong 

Elevations — way of making them. The wrong way is to pile up 
Right and an ugly mass of stones, burrs, clinkers and vitrified 
Wrong bricks — giving the appearance of a rubbish heap shot 

on the ground at random — and then to strew them with soil and 
make " pockets " for the plants. The right way, as might be ex- 
pected, is more laborious, but its result is permanent and satisfactory. 
The elevations should be made by masses of soil, into which the 
rocks should have their bases buried, and wherever a seam occurs 
it should be crammed with earth and the plants put in with the 
earth, thus gradually buUding up together earth, rocks and plants 
into a consolidated whole. No space should be permitted beneath 
the surface of the soil, lest the roots of the plants become exposed 
in their crevices to draughts of dry air, and broken stone and. grit 
should be used to fill up any hollows which may appear. In this 

io8 





w S 



ALPINE, ROCK AND WALL GARDENS 

building process, of course, no cement should be used, the essential 
object being to provide suitable crevices in which the plants may 
firmly root themselves, for many a plant not more than an inch high 
will send out roots a yard long, perhaps radiating in all directions 
against a flat rock. The whole surface of the Alpine Garden should 
be covered with plants as far as possible, and a good effect may be 
obtained by the formation of irregular steps with Violets and Stone- 
crop jutting out from the crevices. 

Another important consideration in forming an Alpine Garden 
is the quality of the soil. Most Alpine plants require 
a deep soil — ^some three feet, at least, should be °* 
allowed — for their natural disposition is to root deeply, and unless 
they have provision made for this they will quickly perish in any 
drought. Ordinary loam, mixed with broken sandstone and grit, 
will suit most species, but peat is desirable for some — such as Tril- 
lium, Cypripedium and Spigelia — and hence it is good to include a 
few patches of peat for the benefit of such plants. Some calcareous 
soil may also be introduced with advantage, as certain plants, 
among which may be mentioned the Milkworts and Bee Orchis, 
thrive best in chalky formations. 

There can be no doubt that an Alpine Garden, such as here in- 
dicated, may be a source of much pleasure and interest to the amateur 
gardener, and when once established it requires but little labour. 
Alpine plants have a peculiar charm of their own, embracing such 
a wide variety of beauty both in form and colour — in their delicate 
fairy-like ferns, their creeping mosses, their tiny orchids, their 
dwarf evergreen shrubs — so small yet so perfect in foliage and 
blossom — that they can scarcely fail to engender a passionate en- 
thusiasm. 

THE ROCK GARDEN 

Although an Alpine Garden, in its best form, becomes essentially 
a Rock Garden, it is not only with Alpine plants that a Rock Garden 
can be made. There are many creeping mosses and low-growing 
plants which will do well on a properly-formed " rockery," thriving 
better in such a position and displaying their characteristics to 
greater advantage than in an ordinary border. Among such are 
the various kinds of Sedum (Stonecrop) and Saxifrage g . . 
(Rockfoil), while the common Wild Thyme and its p"ante ^ 
white variety quickly spread into living cushions of 
scented beauty. These, with Yellow Alyssum, White Arabis and 

109 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Purple Aubretia, will form a lovely carpet of vegetation, and among 
them may be interspersed the trailing variety of Veronica (Speed- 
well), with its blue and white flowers, the common Violet and the 
wild Primrose. Of course these are only a few among the many that 
might be named and are only mentioned to show that the com- 
monest and hardiest plants may be used with good effect if they are 
given a position which exhibits the beauty of their natural mode of 
growth. 

Where space is limited, as in a suburban garden, there is no need 

to despise the smallest of Rock Gardens, which may 
^R 'k^" " become a feast for the eye of the jaded City man, 
^ especially in spring-time, if it be properly constructed 
and made in a suitable position. Such a place may be found even 
in a strip of garden, if it is fairly well enclosed and happens to run 
down to a railway cutting and embankment. The raised bank at 
the end of the garden may easily be made into a good " rockery " 
if simplicity be rigidly adhered to and the monstrosities of artificial 
stone, overhanging structures of cement, and dry and dusty recesses, 
be as rigidly avoided. 

One sound and general principle is applicable to all Rock Gardens, 

from the smallest to the largest, viz., that the rocks 
Universal ^.^^ stones should be supported by the soil and not 

the soil by the rocks and stones. By a neglect of this 
simple rule are produced many of the ugly mounds and disfiguring 
structures mis-named " Rock Gardens," which are apparently 
formed with the erroneous idea that the " rocks," and not the plants, 
must be the chief consideration. But it cannot be stated too em- 
phatically that the " rocks " must take a subsidiary place. Their 
bases should be firmly embedded in the earth — so laid that their 
most attractive sides protrude from the soil — while the smaller 
stones should be used on the slope of the bank to prevent any ex- 
cessive draining away of the moisture. And let it not be forgotten 
that, as the result to be attained is a garden and not an exhibition 
of rocks, the rocks should be used sparingly, allowing ample room 
for the grouping and massing of the plants and for their sustenance 
by the soil. 

THE WALL GARDEN 

In connection with Alpine and Rock Gardens a few words on 
the so-called " Wall Garden " must not be omitted. Probably all 
of us have noticed what charming plants may spring from a mere 

no 



ALPINE, ROCK AND WALL GARDENS 

chink in an old wall ; dwarfed and small they may be, but none the 
less beautiful for that, and often sturdier and stronger and longer- 
lived than when growing upon the ground. The Cheddar-pink, 
the Wallflower, the Toad-flax (Linaria), the Wall-erinus, and the 
dwarf Valerians (though these last have an unpleasant odour), will 
all do well in such a position, as well as many small ferns, such as 
the evergreen Polypodiums. 

Of course the rough stone walls, constructed without cement, 
as seen in the Isle of Wight, in Wales and in the Lake 
District, lend themselves most readily to this embellish- ^^*» ^^® 
ment; their cracks and crannies, their broad and 
spacious irregularities, provide just what the plants require. But 
even a brick wall when it is old and decaying, the mortar dropping 
out and a brick here and there worn away, may be made beautiful 
to look upon by a covering of plant growth ; nor will such a growth 
hasten the destruction of the wall, but rather retard it. 

Where there are sloping banks in a garden, or where portions of 
it are at different levels, it is often worth the trouble 
to build a rough stone wall — especially if stone can be g'^^'^g^^^ 
easily obtained in the neighbourhood — as it not only 
adds the charm of variety to the garden by accentuating its irre- 
gularity, but may also serve a useful purpose in supporting the banks 
and in making a desirable division. With a wall to support it a 
bank may, of course, be cut at a much sharper slope than could 
otherwise be allowed, thus providing an additional space of level 
ground and giving an appearance of enlargement very valuable 
in a circumscribed area; while the wall itself, loosely built of rough 
stones and buttressed by a bank of sandy or calcareous soil, becomes 
an ideal spot for many a beautiful plant that would perish on level 
ground. 

Here the delicate Alpines are free from that excitement to winter 
growth which, being foreign to their nature, tends to 
their exhaustion and premature decay, and in fact Yj^^^^^S]'' 
there is an almost limitless supply of rock and Alpine ^*"^ 
flowers — the Alpine Violas and the pretty creeping Blue Bindweed 
of North Africa may be mentioned — which will flourish to perfec- 
tion in the " WaU Garden." 



Ill 



THE WILD GARDEN AND THE SPRING GARDEN 



THE WILD GARDEN 

It may be as weU to state at once that, in the writer's conception, 
the Wild Garden is not synonymous with the Spring Garden, though 
doubtless, in our climate, it is generally at its best in the Spring. 
Nature teaches us what the Wild Garden should be like, and who 

that has seen a mass of Bluebells in a recently-cut 
Natures copse — " the heavens upbreaking through the earth " 

— or a carpet of Primroses fringed with the delicate 
pink of Windflowers just bursting into blossom, can doubt that she 
is the mistress to whom we should submit ourselves to learn the art 
of forming a Wild Garden. And if we will go to her in a teachable 
and tractable spirit we may learn, with her generous help, to emulate 
her efforts and assist her in making beautiful the waste places of the 
earth. 

Yet it must be admitted that the Wild Garden should not be 

attempted in a small plot of ground; its essential 
c°* ^*J?P*^^ *° characteristics are a broad massing of growth and 
ma ar en ^^^j^^j-g^ ^ spacious outlook, the beauty of the whole 
effect rather than that of the individual flower. 

Thus it will be seen that the functions of a Wild Garden do not 

clash with those of any other garden, but should be 
Special reserved for spaces where neither the Spring Garden, 

rovince ^^^ ^-^^ Rock Garden, nor the groups of hardy plants 

in bed and border would be suitable; places such as the fringes of 
woodland walks and drives, the unused ground in grove and copse, 
the banks of streamlets, or even the coarse grass of some waste piece 
of pasture. And in the Wild Garden, wherever it may be planted, 
is the place for those flowers — and there are many of them — ^which 
may rightly be considered unworthy of cultivation in a trim garden, 
or which are apt to spread so rapidly as to become a nuisance where 
choicer plants are grown. Of such are the common Michaelmas 
Daisy, the Perennial Sunflower, Monkshood [Aconitum Nap.), the 
common Milkweed, with its fragrant flowers of deep purple, or (in 
moist situations) the common Reed, indigenous to this country, 

112 





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WILD AND SPRING GARDENS 

tall and stately, gracefully bowing its feathery head of purplish hue. 
Many others there are — the Tree Lupin for sandy soil, the Loose- 
strife for boggy ground. Mullein {Verbuscum), Valerian, Ragged 
Robin, to quote but a few; while for spring flowers there are Nar- 
cissi, Daffodils, Snowdrops, Anemones, Crocuses, Primroses and 
Forget-me-nots. 

Of course it must be understood, as already implied, that the 
Wild Garden is an addition to and not a substitute . , 
for any other garden, but it has advantages of its own ^^" ^^^^ 
which can scarcely be overlooked. In its very wildness, and in its 
ability, when once successfully established, to increase and flourish 
without attention, it possesses a unique charm ; while many of the 
hardy flowers mentioned above will undoubtedly thrive better left to 
themselves in the rough places of the Wild Garden than when 
cribbed, cabined and confined in trim borders. And as they succeed 
each other from season to season they relieve each other's deficiencies, 
as it were; the beauty of one kind will be fully in evidence while it 
blooms, and any ugly defects of its decay will be covered by the 
beauty of another kind or obliterated among more prominent plants 
around. 

But over and above all other reasons for making a Wild Garden 
is its one tru^and special purpose — the reclaiming 
of ground which would otherwise be plain and bare. Ultimate 
by embellishing it in Nature's own beautiful way, 
causing it to " blossom as the rose " in all the loveliness of fragrance, 
form and colour. 

THE SPRING GARDEN 

The garden that makes fuU provision for Spring flowers is sure 
to give satisfaction, for after the quiescence of winter, with the many 
cold and dreary days which it inevitably brings, every sign of re- 
newed life is delightful. Moreover, the Spring flowers are in them- 
selves a special joy; their frail beauty and delicate colouring, their 
seeming courage in braving the season's fitful weather — symbolical 
of hope maintained and faith justified — make an irresistible appeal 
to our best emotions. 

It behoves us, therefore, to see that our gardens are so arranged 
that they can respond to the call of Spring, and it is 
a good plan to have some portion devoted to this ob- P?™^^*^^ 
ject — to see, in fact, that our garden includes a " Spring '"^ ^°^^ 
Garden," some quiet sheltered spot where Spring may hold full 
H 113 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

sway and revel in its natural beauty, unmolested by the thought of 
the coming glory of summer. 

If we are to make the best use of our " Spring Garden " we must 

avoid any sort of " bedding-out " system and must 
What to Avoid j^q^ ^q over-anxious about annual culture. We have 
What to Use c ■ £> i.- -u j.j j-l 

now many Sprmg flowers which are not dependent on 

rich soil and careful cultivation, and to these we may confidently 
look to ensure a good display. 

The Yellow Alyssum, for instance, is as easy to grow as it is 
effective, and the White Arabis, the many varieties 
Herbaceous q£ Rock Cresses, the evergreen Candytufts and the 
numerous kinds of Anemone, are all most valuable; 
while where the soil is moist or marshy the Ranunculus (Buttercup) 
family — Bachelor's Buttons, Columbines in their great variety, 
Kingcups, and Winter Aconite (one of the earliest harbingers of 
Spring) — will all thrive well. And the common Primrose, the 
Cowslip, the Oxlip, the Polyanthus and the Auricula must not be 
forgotten, nor the sweet Violet, the many kinds of Violas and Pansies, 
and those time-honoured favourites — Forget-me-nots and Wall- 
flowers. 

Then for bulbs there are the Crocuses, the Snowdrops, the Scillas, 
the Daffodfls, the Narcissi, the Hyacinths and the 
Bulbs Tulips; while the many beautiful Irises — English, 

Spanish and German — are a host in themselves. 

To this list — which, of course, is only meant to be suggestive — 
_ there must be added the many flowering shrubs which 

'^^ ^ bloom in Spring, and from which we may gain some 

fine effects by judicious grouping. Especially is this the case with 
Azaleas, of which there are several hardy kinds that will thrive well 
in the open garden in sheltered spots, and their flowering is not de- 
terred by partial shade. Rhododendrons, too, are most effective 
when properly grouped, and they will flourish in nearly any soil where 
lime is absent, though sandy peat is what is best for them. As they 
are free growers they should not be planted too closely nor in one 
huge mass, as we sometimes see them, but broken up into groups 
of harmonious colour. The Magnolia is another beautiful flowering 
shrub which will be found valuable in our southern counties, though 
it is somewhat susceptible to frost and its flowers get nipped 
occasionally. Then there are the more hardy kinds of flowering 
shrubs, such as the Hawthorns — red, pink, double and weeping; 
the many sorts of Flowering Currants, the Lilac, the Laburnum, the 
Broom and the Furze bush; while the Deutzia, the Syringa, the 

114 



WILD AND SPKING GARDENS 

Pyrus Japonica and the Genista must not be omitted from our 
list. 

It would, of course, be easy to extend this list of plants and bulbs 
and shrubs, but a mere catalogue of all that can be grown in a Spring 
Garden is scarcely desirable. Rather, the endeavour here made is 
to stimulate the enthusiasm of the lover of Spring flowers, to remind 
him how potent is the spell, how fair is the witchery, of Spring's 
sweet touch of fragrance; for when once the enthusiasm is aroused, 
no gardener will find much difficulty in making a Spring Garden. 
And who can resist the call of Spring, when — " Lo, the winter is past, 
the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the 
time of the singing of birds is come "? 



115 



GARDENING 

IN WINDOW-BOXES, ORNAMENTAL POTS, 
TUBS AND BOWLS 

In the cottager who fills the inside ledge of her never-opened window 
with giant geraniums, sacrificing to them all the air of all the family, 
and in the wealthy owner of a riverside frontage who makes a roof- 
garden of his boat-house or supplements his lawn with stone vases 
to further brighten a bright scene with a quick succession of the most 
expensive bedding-out plants, the same spirit of floral decoration 
is expressing itself. And between these two extremes are now an 
increasing number who make a study of window-box gardening, of 
ornamental pot or tub gardening, of growing bulbs indoors in bowls, 
and so on — elaborating schemes of more or less successful colour 
and charm wherewith to brighten the outside or the inside of their 
homes. So that in a book on gardening some hints on the care and 
contrivance of these substitutes of the garden proper may be found 
useful. 

And certainly the fascination of watching flowers grow at such 
close quarters, of devising harmonious effects on a miniature scale, 
is one that repays those who pursue it ; and if, with our modern craze 
for quick results, we cannot hope to rival the Japanese, who will 
patiently produce you a forest tree of fitting dimensions for your 
dining-table, we can yet do a great deal in a small space that is 
genuinely decorative and worth while. But it must be remembered 
that in no branch of " gardening " is greater daily and individual 
care required. Where only a comparatively few handfuls of soil 
are being made to produce the very maximum of plant life, a week's 
want of water, a careless and too heavy watering — whereby the 
earth grows caked and sodden, and the roots decayed — the neglect 
of the timely administration of a sparing quantity of artificial manure 
in the water, or the failure to quickly sponge leaves that are choked 
with dust, or to remove dead leaves and blossoms and, as in the case 
of geraniums, even dead pellets, will cause the most disheartening 

ii6 




A cottager's garden. 



GARDENING IN WINDOW-BOXES 

results. In this class of flower-growing — if in any — an hour to-day- 
has emphatically no power at all to replace the lost half-hour of 
yesterday, the ten minutes from the day before. 

To begin with, the boxes themselves must vary in accordance 
with circumstances and individual taste, and only a 
few broad lines can be laid down here for following. Window 
A strong box of well-seasoned wood, made the re- 
quired size, is the first requisite, and in this a sufficient number of 
holes must be pierced at the bottom, as drainage is all-important, 
while as a further aid to this it is advisable to have the bottom of 
the box raised half an inch or so from the window ledge by means 
of supports at the sides or corners. 

The wooden box needs a couple of coats of paint, but many desire 
to further decorate with a facing of virgin cork or tiles. 
If tiles are used, unglazed red ones, or those that re- ^°'^^ lo" 
semble slightly-glazed cheap brown pottery, are recommended as 
more fitting backgrounds for trailing plants than the highly-glazed 
blue or green or yellow tiles of suburban fancy. There is something 
to be said for having the window-boxes painted unobtrusively to 
match the painted window frames, but if green boxes are liked 
where (say) the sashes are white or buff, few things are more simply 
successful than the shade of ready-mixed paint known as Middle 
Brunswick Green, which will be found to tone down with weather 
into that picturesque blue-green so satisfactory to the artistic taste. 

For filling, still with an eye to proper drainage, the first thin 
layer should be of old broken-up flower-pots, and .... 
amongst this some lumps of charcoal is advised, to ^ '"^ 
keep the drainage and the soil above it sweet. As to the best soil 
opinions vary, but as in any case the boxes should be emptied and 
refilled half-annually, personal experiment is not out of the question. 
A writer in the Morning Post has recently recommended that " about 
a third of the quantity should consist of old mushroom-bed manure 
and the remainder should be composed of sound fibrous loam and 
leaf-mould in equal proportions. With this a liberal allowance of 
rough grit should be incorporated." And although this mixture 
may not be practical for all, it may serve as a guide to the kind of 
soil most suitable for the purpose. Further, a little artificial manure 
may be added occasionally with advantage. 

Window-boxes should be watered morning and evening when 
the weather is very dry and hot; otherwise, to water p, ., ^ 
them in the evening when they require it should be ^*"y ^^^® 
sufiicient. But it is strongly advised that the leaves of the plants 

117 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

should be syringed, or even sponged, as well as the roots watered, 
as they often suffer very much from dust. This attention and a few 
minutes spent daily in removing dead leaves and blossoms will be 
well repaid. 

As the winter is the time when most window-boxes fail altogether 
to be things of beauty, the really ambitious grower 
Boxes in ^j]] plant his boxes ready in the autumn with dwarf 

Winter Shrubs, such as the Green or Golden Privet, Eunony- 

mous {radicanus variegatus), and one or two plants having berries, 
such as Shimmia Japonica, or Solanum (Winter Cherry). Between 
the shrubs bulbs may be planted for the spring, unless indeed the 
excusable extravagance of two separate zinc linings to the boxes is 
permitted. In that case the bulbs may be set in the lining not in 
use for the window, and a still larger show of flowers ensured for the 
spring. 

The choice of bulbs is a large one, and a good catalogue should b 
studied before planting. Winter Aconite and Snow- 
Boxes in drops planted in the early autumn will be the first to 
Spring flower — as early as January in a sheltered, sunny 
window. Crocuses come next, with Narcissus, Daffodils, Hyacinths 
and Tulips to follow — Tulips, indeed, coming late enough to blend 
happily with Forget-me-nots. Nothing could be more charming, 
for instance, than dark purple Tulips growing amongst the Forget- 
me-not blue. Red-brown Wallflowers and Forget-me-nots will 
also serve to take the window-boxes well into May, when the summer 
flowers may be planted. 

The end of May is the recognized time for planting boxes for the 
summer, and here, again, individual taste must be 
Boxes in exercised, as the choice is really a very wide one, 

Summer though much narrowed by convention. A row of 

Marguerites at the back, with a second row of Scarlet Geraniums 
and blue and white Lobelia at the edge (there is a " Spreading 
Lobelia " specially suitable for hanging-baskets and window-boxes) 
is a combination so popular as to be almost universal, and certainly 
it must be owned it is effective, if unoriginal. Purple Petunias 
and pink Ivy Geraniums go well together and form a less hack- 
neyed arrangement, but personal taste may better supply boxes 
to its own fancy from among such plants as Fuchsias, Begonias, 
Hehotropes, Mignonette, Stocks, Pinks, Carnations, Balsams, Cal- 
ceolarias, Salvias, Nemesia, etc., etc.; while for cheapness and 
gaiety combined Nasturtiums and Tropaeolums cannot easily be 
beaten. 

ii8 



GARDENING IN WINDOW-BOXES 

In the late summer and early autumn the Aster is a flower that 
can be recommended. It is now highly cultivated 
and well worth consideration. For later autumn any ?°f ^' *° 
small variety of Chrysanthemum may be utilized. " ^^^ 

For ornamental pots and tubs, where a variety of flowers is desired, 
the order of plants and procedure in filling are practi- 
cally the same as for window-boxes. Outdoor flower p^^^^^^l 
vases are generally fairly cheap when bought direct ° ^ " ^ 
from a pottery, and often greatly improve a garden, especially where 
there is much grass and few flower-beds. Only, as in the case of 
window-boxes, the daily care in watering, removing dead leaves and 
blossoms, etc., is aU essential. 

Butter or lard tubs — to be bought for fourpence or sixpence 
apiece — can also be utilized by those in search of 
economical ornamentation for the garden, balcony, Butter Tubs 
terrace, or flat roof. Painted green (the Middle °^ owers 
Brunswick Green advised for flower-boxes) and well drained by 
means of holes drilled in the bottom, these tubs will last several 
seasons and always look picturesque. Where variety is not sought 
after and a more permanent filling desired, tubs or vases may have 
an effective arrangement of tall Ferns, with an undergrowth of 
Stonecrop, Creeping Jenny, Double Arabis, Saxifrage or Ground Ivy. 

In large pots and tubs (barrels bought at a small cost at the 
grocer's or wine merchant's may be sawn in half and 
treated like the lard tubs) any of the small compact ^^I^ ?°*^ 
shrubs may be grown, while in our southern counties 
and in sheltered positions Myrtles, Tree Fuchsias, Hardy Azaleas 
and Brooms will flourish with excellent decorative effect. 

Almost every sort of bulb for spring flowering can be grown 
indoors in bowls, and no more charming decoration 
for a room can be imagined. Any sort of earthenware S"'^? ^° 
bowl is suitable — green, brown, or yellow — the flowers °^ ^ 
grown in them being selected with a view to forming an artistic 
whole. Snowdrops, Scillas, Crocuses, Narcissi, Daflodils, Hyacinths, 
Tulips, etc., will form a succession of bloom which for table decora- 
tion alone would be worth considering. 

The method of growing is an extremely simple one. The bulbs 
should be selected in early autumn, and may be grown 
in pebbles, shell gravel, or damp moss, but the most ^ethod of 
popular and therefore, probably, the most successful mowing 
medium is cocoanut fibre. This fibre, sold at the florist's for the 

119 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

purpose, needs to be damped, and enough should be put in each 
bowl for the bulbs to stand in without touching — the overcrowding 
of bulbs is a fatal mistake. The bulbs placed firmly, with the tips 
just showing, more fibre should be packed round them so that the 
bowls are nearly full. Some small lumps of charcoal form the best 
drainage at the bottom of the bowls, and a few pieces amongst the 
fibre will keep it sweet. 

After settling, the first thing to do is to give a thorough watering. 
. Afterwards water must be given occasionally and with 

atenng discretion; both over dryness and soddenness must 
be avoided. 

A cold frame may be used to keep the bowls in while the roots 
g are forming, but a dry cellar, or even a cupboard that 

orage ^^ sufficiently airy, will answer the purpose equally 

well. 

The bowls should be kept in the dark untU some sturdy shoots 

are formed, and then the transition to light, and more 

When to Move especially to warmth, should be a gradual one, or the 

plants \vill become weedy and the flowers poor or even 

non-existent. But once growth is well forward light and air are very 

necessary. 

During the remaining growth water should be given freely until 
the flowers are fully out — when very little water is desirable. Where 
the flower stalks are tall a certain amount of support must be given 
to them, but it should be very carefully managed or all the natural 
beauty of the plant will be lost. 

As they wither the flowers should be cut off, but not the leaves ; 
they should be left to turn brown after the bulbs 
T e t '^t f ^^^^ been replanted in the garden in a not too pro- 
Bulbs minent spot where they will recover themselves suffi- 
ciently to be some use next year. For bulbs will not 
flower a second time in the restricted nourishment they find in a 
bowl. 



120 



LAWNS 

THEIR MAKING, MAINTAINING AND 
RENOVATION 

It has been well said that the Lawn is the heart of a British garden, 
and he who has lived abroad and experienced how impossible it is 
to maintain there any good turf is quick to recognize, and appreciate 
at its true worth, the importance and charm of a well-kept grass-plat. 
There is about it a certain freedom and freshness, a vigour and 
stability, which impart a delightful sense of breadth and homeliness, 
so that a garden without a lawn seems not only cramped and arid but 
strange and alien. Most of us must have seen — and revelled in the 
mere sight — the beautiful, smooth-cut, velvety sward of the " backs " 
of Cambridge, the very perfection of cultivated turf, and perhaps have 
sighed at the futility of attempting to rival it in our own garden. 
But though lawns may doubtless be reckoned among those things 
that are best when old, no one, with the resources now at hand, 
need despair of making a good lawn in a short time. 

For those who are in a hurry and must have a lawn ready-made, 
so to speak, the practice of putting down turves cut 
from a pasture has somewhat to recommend it, the Lawn-making 
chief objection being that it is very difficult to obtain " °^ ^^ 
grass which is not full of weeds. To the casual glance, when viewed 
in a field, it may look suitable enough, but no sooner is it laid down 
and become established as a lawn than it reveals itself as mixed with 
an immense number of weeds, the eradication of which entails much 
arduous labour. Unless, therefore, it be possible to obtain really 
good turf for laying down, it is better, and far cheaper, to make a 
lawn from seed, which, if it be purchased from a seedsman of 
repute, such as Carter of London, or Sutton of Reading, has 
the double advantage of being free from weeds and obtain- 
able in different mixtures suited to the soil and position of the 
intended lawn. 

121 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

But whether the lawn be made by laying turf or by sowing seed, 
the proper preparation of the ground is equally im- 
Preparation portant. The early autumn, during the first two weeks 
o roun ^^ September, is one of the best seasons for sowing the 

seed, as the soil is then warm and rain and heavy dews are generally 
prevalent a little later. This gives an opportunity for the seed to 
germinate freely and allows the young grass to become established 
before the winter frosts set in, enabling it, by the time spring has 
arrived and all growth is most vigorous, to overcome the weeds 
which would then begin to fructify from any weed-seeds which may 
have lain dormant in the soil. A word of caution against hurry 
may, perhaps, be necessary. The old adage, " The more haste, the 

. less speed," is most applicable to the preparation of the 

urry gj-Q^^d for making a lawn, and it is certainly wise to 
allow a week or two for the new surface to settle and consolidate, and 
find its own level, before sowing the seed or laying the turf. 

The first step in the preparation of the ground is to mark out the 
limits of the plot. Then it should be dug over to the 
Digging and depth of lo to 12 inches, turning the soil completely, 
anunng breaking it up fine, and taking out all large stones, 
weeds and roots. Then the whole surface should be spread with 
manure, forking it in to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. This part of the 
preparation is one so often omitted that it is necessary to insist upon 
its importance; without a well-nourished soil to begin with the 
results are sure to be unsatisfactory. The best general manure is 
well-rotted stable litter, which is usually easily procured. 

The next step is to find a general level, which to the amateur may 
seem a difficult operation, but is really fairly easy. A 
Levelling stout wooden peg, some 2 feet long, sharp pointed at 

one end but with a flat head, should be driven into the centre of the 
plot, allowing the top of the peg to stand up from the ground at the 
height required for the level of the plot. From this centre, in 
radiating lines at distances of some 15 feet apart, similar pegs should 
be driven in, and by means of a spirit-level and a level-edged board 
placed from peg to peg the tops of all the pegs may be brought to an 
exact level. 

Now comes the making of the seed-bed, which is done by careful 

raking of the ground into a fine surface and to a 

s'^d^b^d uniform level, as judged by the projecting pegs. 

ee - e Then it should be trodden firmly all over (or a small 

roller may be used), pressing in any lump or stone so that an even as 

well as a level surface is obtained, until the whole is so well con- 

122 



LAWNS 

solidated as scarcely to show the imprints of the foot when walked 
upon. 

The ground is now ready to be laid with the turf or to receive 
the seed. For sowing, a calm, dry day should be 
chosen, as in the wind the seed (which is very light) °'^^^S 
may easily be blown away, while in the wet the surface of the soil 
would be injuriously disturbed by walking over it. It is a good plan 
to divide the ground into square sections by means of pegs and string, 
and to portion out the seed correspondingly. One pound of seed is 
sufficient for an area of 4 square yards. The seed should be sown 
as evenly as possible and be lightly covered with soil — not deeper 
than a quarter of an inch — by carefully raking the surface in two 
directions, after which the whole should be rolled and cross-rolled 
with a light roller. 

In the course of a fortnight or three weeks, according to the 
weather, the young grass ought to appear above ground, 
and when it is about an inch high it will be greatly JJ"'^*"^? °^ -^ 
benefited by the application of some top-dressing ^^ ^°^ 
(Carter's Fertilising Fibre is excellent for the purpose), which will 
supply nitrogen to assist the growth of the young grass and protect 
it from extremes of temperature. As soon as it has grown to the 
height of 2 inches it ought to be cut — preferably with a scythe, 
although a well-running sharp machine, set high, will do no harm. 
It is highly important that the young grass should be kept short 
from the beginning, for if allowed to become long it will be pro- 
portionately thin and fail to broaden out, and any bare places should 
be attended to immediately by gently loosening the soil and sowing 
a little seed. As grass will not thrive on a loose surface, rolling be- 
comes an important operation in a newly-made lawn, but though 
careful and frequent rolling is necessary, a heavy roller is not desirable. 

It may, perhaps, be well to repeat that in making a lawn by laying 
turf instead of by sowing seed the preparation of the ground is 
practically the same. In putting down the turves, which are usually 
cut in 3-feet lengths by i foot wide, the joints of each piece should 
be kept half-an-inch apart, so as to aUow for expansion when beaten 
down and rolled. 

There is one element in the preparation of the ground for making 
a lawn which, though it is not in accordance with the 
generally-accepted methods, seems to be well worth ^^alk 
consideration. It consists in the use of chalk as a sort Sub-soil 
of sub-soil immediately below the loam on which the 
turf is to be placed or the seed sown. Undoubtedly the finest 

123 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

natural turf is to be found on chalk formations, and the Sussex 
downs — the southern range running along the coast and the northern 
range which forms the boundary of the county — the Wiltshire downs 
and the Isle of Wight downs, are all examples of this fact. Chalk 
is conducive to good drainage, its porous nature permitting it both 
to absorb any excess of moisture and to retain it for the use of the soil 
immediately above it. It would seem, therefore, that a layer of 
broken chalk, some 3 or 4 inches deep, must make an excellent 
foundation for a lawn, and as far as the writer's recent experience 
goes it has fulfilled its promise admirably. 

MAINTENANCE AND RENOVATION 

With ordinary care and attention it is not difficult to maintain a 
lawn in good condition, unless it happens to be — what is certainly 
very beautiful — closely shaded by trees. In that case the roots of 
the trees absorb so much of the moisture and nutriment 
Shady Lawns ^^ ^j^^ g^^^ ^Yia± there must ever be a fight to preserve 
the turf, especially if the branches of the trees extend over the grass 
itself and only a few feet above it. For not only is the ground 
impoverished by the tree roots, but in summer the foliage deprives 
it of light and air and rain, while in winter the continued drip of the 
rain from every branch and twig is destructive of all growth below. 
This does not imply that a shadeless lawn is desirable, but only that, 
if possible, the trees should be relegated to such a distance and their 
branches so restrained as to prevent their overhanging the grass and 
causing its destruction. With all shady lawns, and even under the 
branches of trees if they do not reach within 8 or 10 feet from the 
ground, the turf may be kept in good order by top-dressing in spring 
and autumn, to which may be added, as an extra precaution if the 
grass be thin, an occasional spring sowing of seed, opening up the 
surface for that purpose by raking and cross-raking with an iron- 
toothed rake. During dry weather any piece of turf that may be 
constantly in the shade should be watered liberally. 

Among what may be called the common necessities of a lawn, 

if it is to be kept in good condition, mowing and rolling are of prime 

importance. The grass, whether it be young or old, should never 

. be allowed to grow long and ragged, though it is obvious 

Mowing ^j^g^^ ^^ -^^^ ^^^ ^y weather it is unwise to keep it too 

closely cut. As in all gardening work, discretion must be used, but 
as a general rule about 2 inches is the extreme length to which the 

124 



LAWNS 

grass should be allowed to attain. In hot weather it is advisable to 
use the machine without the collecting-box, as the cut grass provides 
some protection to the turf from the sun's scorching rays, while it is 
scarcely noticeable on the surface if the mowing has not been previ- 
ously neglected. It is a good practice to sweep the lawn before 
mowing, thus removing stones, worm casts, or any rubbish which 
would be caught by the knives of the machine and so blunt them as 
to give them a tendency to pull and tear the grass. A free-running, 
sharp-bladed machine is, of course, essential to the welfare of the turf. 

As to rolling, the really useful time for this work is the early 
spring, when the ground is moist — not wet. This is p^j^jj 
especially the case if the winter has been severe, for ° . 

under frost the soil has a tendency to lift and break up, and requires, 
therefore, to be re-consolidated. Frequent rolling — cross-roHing, 
not always in one direction — is what is then required, but during 
frost it is positively injurious and in dry weather is, of course, useless. 
Speaking of frost, it may be well to put in a cautionary 
word against sweeping off snow from a lawn, for t^*3n°^^® 
although no damage may be done to the turf by the 
actual sweeping, the removal of the snow lays the ground open to a 
sudden change of temperature which is decidedly injurious. 

Although, as already suggested, age may be essential as an im- 
portant element in the formation of a really good lawn, it does not 
follow that an old lawn is necessarily a good one. Unless suitable 
means are taken for its maintenance, the soil beneath 
an old lawn becomes impoverished, especially, as we ^inpovenshed 
have seen, when shaded by trees. When it is borne in 
mind how much is annually taken out of the soil, as shown by the 
quantity of cut grass produced by periodical mowing, it is astonishing 
that so little effort is generally made to replenish the growing capacity 
of a lawn. For most lawns an autumn top-dressing of some manure 
suitable to the character of the soil, according to whether it be light, 
medium or stiff, is necessary, as without such occasional enrichment 
it is impossible to maintain them in good condition. A sure indica- 
tion of impoverishment is the presence of moss, with bare or thin 
grass and a recurrence of weeds. Assuming that the plot is not in 
need of draining, and that it has a fairly level surface, its renovation is 
not difficult. The time selected should be early autumn, as in 
making a new lawn, and the first operation is to cut -, , . , 
the grass as short as possible. Then the surface ^g^^ewal* 
should be very thoroughly opened by means of vigor- 
ous raking and cross-raking, care being taken to get rid of all the moss, 

125 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

and as many of the weeds as possible; so long as the roots of the 
existing grass are not pulled up, the more the ground is loosened the 
better. The surface thus prepared should then be sown with seed 
— thickly or thinly, according to the bareness of the turf — and 
covered lightly with sifted soil in which some suitable artificial 
manure (such as Carter's Grass Manure, No. 2) has been mixed. 
The whole should then be gently cross-rolled with a light roller. 
Of course, if there has been long-standing neglect, and the weeds have 
been allowed to get the upper hand of the grass, more stringent 
measures for their extirpation may be necessary, but even then, unless 
the whole plot requires readjustment in level, it is generally better 
to renovate rather than re-make. 

Weeding by hand is not the impossible job it is sometimes sup- 
posed to be, and there may be more wisdom in sub- 
^* ® mitting to a calculable expenditure of time or money 

on weeding an old lawn than in committing oneself to a vaguely- 
estimated expense in making a new one. Even on a good lawn 
weeding is generally a necessary precaution, and if it be done regularly 
each spring the labour is but small. Weeds on a lawn may be 
roughly divided into two classes — the shallow-rooted, such as daisies 
and buttercups, and the long-rooted, such as plantains and dande- 
lions. The first are easily eradicated with a daisy- fork, but the latter 
require a different treatment. Merely to cut off the tops of these 
long-rooted weeds is worse than useless, as it induces them to ramify 
and send out several crowns where only one previously existed. 
But if, when cutting off the crown, some strong acid be immediately 
applied to the exposed stem, its destruction is certain. 
Acid fo*^ A simple plan is to have at hand a small vial of sul- 

We^s°° ^ phuric acid, in which is immersed a stout, sharp- 
pointed iron skewer, and with the skewer thus wet 
with the acid the root of the weed should be pierced perpendicularly 
as far as possible. Of course the acid must not be allowed to drop 
upon one's clothes or flesh, and gloves should be used in doing the 
work. If the weeds are numerous, an incentive to methodical and 
efficient work may be found in portioning out the ground into strips 
of (say) a yard ■wdde by means of pegs and string, the space thus 
allotted being first cleared of daisies and shallow-rooted growths 
and then of the deep-rooted weeds. Any bare patches which may 
be made by the removal of the weeds may be repaired by loosening 
the soil and sprinkling on it a pinch of seed. The best time for the 
work is the early spring, while the turf is still moist from winter 
rains. 

126 



LAWNS 

With all the care and attention which may be devoted to a lawn 
it seems impossible in some cases, at certain seasons of ... _. 
the year, to keep it free from worm casts. The late 
autumn, which often brings with it a spell of mild, muggy weather, 
is the time when this nuisance is most evident, and every morning, 
while these atmospheric conditions prevail, the muddy casts are 
renewed in spite of all previous sweeping and collecting. We are 
told — and we are quite ready to believe it — that worms play an 
important and useful part in renewing the soil, but seeing this re- 
curring mess on our lawn we begin to think we can have too much of 
a good thing. Of course, the simple fact is that, beneficial as worms 
undoubtedly are, an excessive number in a particular area is really 
detrimental, and some means should be taken to diminish it. This 
may be done by applying a properly-compounded worm- destroyer, 
and Carter's " Wormkiller " (which has an excellent reputation) 
may safely be used for the purpose, if the directions with it are care- 
fully adhered to. 



127 



FRUIT TREES 

THEIR PLANTING, TRAINING, PRUNING 
AND RENOVATION 

The pruning of fruit trees is an art that comparatively few can 
accomplish successfully, for its acquisition, in perfection, can only 
be obtained by long practice and intelligent observation. It follows 
that the amateur gardener, to whom gardening is but the recreation 
of leisure hours, is generally dependent for pruning upon the pro- 
fessional, who may be capable and efficient but who, on the other 
hand, is more likely to have only a slight knowledge of the rudiments 
of the art and be incapable of applying them intelligently. 

It would be beyond the province of such a book as this to enter 
into a lengthy disquisition on the various methods which may be 
adopted in pruning and training, but a few general principles may be 
stated and their application in particular cases left to the wise dis- 
cretion of the reader. 

Probably the majority for whom this book is designed have a 
comparatively small garden, and in many cases, when they enter into 
occupation, they find it bare and empty, devoid of any fruit trees. 
It is deplorable how fruit culture is generally neglected, for even in 
a small garden, surrounded with only a low brick wall, fruit trees may 
be grown and trained and made productive of good crops by devoting 
a little care and daily attention. Naturally, much depends upon 
the position in which the trees are planted and the manner in which 
they are trained, and it is hoped that some useful hints in these 
respects may be found in this chapter. 



WALL-TRAINED FRUIT TREES 

For the peach, the nectarine, the apricot, the greengage 
and the plum — and, indeed, for aU stone fruit — the best place 

128 



FRUIT TREES 

for planting is against a brick wall with a southern aspect, and 
the system of training called " oblique cordon " is one which 
accommodates itself more than any other to a low wall and a small 
space. Moreover, it demands less judgment in pruning and places 
the tree more under control than the ordinary fan-shaped method 
of training. 

Let us assume that it is decided to utilize the border under the 
low brick wall which faces south in the hitherto vacant garden by 
planting fruit trees, and that, among others, a one-year old peach 
tree is to be installed. The border itself first demands some prepara- 
tion. It should be thoroughly drained and raised some 6 inches 
above the ground level, but there is no need for any special richness of 
soil — the most suitable is that which is fairly deep and of calcareous 
consistency. It may be mentioned here that after the trees are 
planted the soil should not be subjected to deep digging; an occa- 
sional loosening of the earth with a fork to the depth of 6 or 8 inches 
is all that is required. Much damage is often done to young fruit 
trees by deep digging with a spade, with the result that the roots are 
lacerated and bruised and suckers thrown up, thus, perhaps, destroy- 
ing the tree before it has even reached maturity. 

The best time for planting is October or November, while the 
weather is open and free from severe frost. It is 
necessary that the roots be kept carefully wrapped up ^^^^M^th^'d 
as long as they are out of the ground, for any ex- Qf planting 
posure to a dry wind or to frost might be fatal. Pre- 
pare the station where the tree is to be planted by digging a small 
pit about 2 feet square and some i8 inches deep, according to the 
size of the roots, but no deeper than will allow the crown of the root 
to be more than just covered. Before planting it may be necessary 
to prune the roots by removing any portion that is broken or bruised. 
For the oblique cordon system of training, such as is here advised, 
the stem of the young tree — which in the case of a one-year-old 
peach would be a single rod with budding excrescences — should be 
laid obliquely against the wall at an angle of forty-five degrees to the 
level of the ground, the roots being spread carefully in a horizontal 
position and then covered firmly with mould. Care should be taken 
that the roots are laid as far away from the wall as can be conveniently 
arranged, so as to give them space to ramify. The stem should then 
be made fast to the wall with strong nails and shreds, using caution 
that the nails do not come in contact with the wood and never 
bruising the tree with the hammer. 
I 129 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

It is of the utmost importance that the training of a fruit tree be 
attended to at the outset, as by this means may be 
Training and obtained not only a well- developed fruit-bearing tree 
runing ^ ^ short time, but also one which will continue to 

bear for twenty or thirty years. It has been asserted that it re- 
quires seven years to produce a well-developed peach tree, but, in 
reality, there is no doubt that with proper care and attention a good 
fruit-bearing tree can be produced within four years from the planting 
of the maiden stem, provided it be properly trained and pruned 
from the beginning. 

As soon as the maiden stem begins to break into bud, watch how 
it seems inclined to shoot. Some of the buds may be too weak and 
some too strong, and there will probably be too many. Therefore 
thin out, by rubbing off, those which are not required, retaining only 
those which are of even growth and at fairly equal distances from each 
other along the stem. When 3 or 4 inches of lateral growth have 
appeared, stop each lateral by nipping. There will probably succeed 
two other laterals, which will make equal progress and be furnished 
with fruit-buds by the following autumn. But it would be unwise, 
at this stage, to allow the tree to continue the growth of aU this wood, 
and one of each of the double laterals should be cut back to a bud 
within a few inches of the stem, while the other should be shortened 
a little. Thus a tree capable of bearing fruit may be produced within 
three years, but only a very few of the fruit should be allowed to 
ripen on so young a tree. 

It may happen that the tree is in a strong, rich soil, causing it to 
grow too vigorously and to make too much wood. In such a case 
it would be a mistake to cut it back ; let it bear all the fruit it can 
for a season, and thus tame down its tendency to an over-growth of 
wood. Such a plan is excellent for checking rank growth — better 
even than lifting. On the other hand, if the tree be growing in poor, 
light soil, the buds may be weak and the laterals wanting in vigour. 
If so, cut all the laterals back to a bud within a few inches of 
the stem, and the following season there will be two laterals from 
each spur. 

Having by these means obtained a well- developed tree of good 
fruit-bearing capacity, its constitution and character may be main- 
tained by cutting back every season, as far as the first bud from the 
stem, one of the double laterals aU through the tree, by which means 
a new lateral wiU be provided each year and the tree remain sound 
and productive throughout its life. 

130 



FRUIT TREES 

The systematic annual cutting back described above is sometimes 
called winter pruning, but the best time for its per- 
formance is February or March, because not only is p^^w 
it then easier to see what to cut out and what to leave, 
but also because the tree, at that season, is less likely to be exposed 
to, and is better able to resist, frost and dry winds. The process 
called summer pruning should take place as soon as the new buds 
appear. It consists of rubbing off with finger and thumb all buds 
which are not required, such as those which appear in the front of 
the branches of a wall-trained tree and are in such a position that they 
cannot be laid in on one side or the other. 

With all wall-fruit it is important to thin out both fruit and 
leaves at an early stage. The amount of fruit retained 
must be a matter of judgment and depends, in some fj^^^-^u^ ■ 
measure, upon the condition of the tree, but it is better ^ 

to remove too many than too few. With peaches, for instance, 
3 or 4 to the square foot is as many as should be allowed to remain 
if the full development of each peach is to be secured. With the 
same object in view the leaves should be nipped off wherever they 
shade the fruit and prevent its proper exposure to the sun's ripening 
power. 

The directions already given — which, though concise, are be- 
lieved to be adequate, and which have taken the peach Qgneral 
tree as a typical example — may be applied to all wall- Application 
trained fruit trees; but it is well to bear in mind that of Foregoing 
fruit trees — even those of the same kind — are not all Directions 
alike in habit and growth. Differences are caused by many factors, 
such as the particiilar constitution of the tree, the soil in which it is 
planted, and the position in which it stands. It follows that the 
individual needs of a tree must be met by an intelligent application 
of the general methods. 

It remains to consider how best to renovate wall-trained fruit 
trees which, either through neglect or mistaken train- 
ing and pruning, or from these causes combined, have P®"R^5.**°° °^ 
deteriorated and become more or less unfruitful. The 
old adage, " Spare the rod and spoil the child," may be paraphrased 
in connection with fruit trees by " Spare the knife and spoil the 
tree," but there is more hope of reclaiming a tree than a child. The 
principles of training and pruning already indicated should be applied 

131 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

in the renovation of a tree which has got out of hand, though, of 
course, the " obhque cordon " system can only be apphed when the 
tree is young. One of the great advantages of that method is that 
the main leader remains a permanent thing as long as the tree en- 
dures, while the laterals, as already explained, are renewed from 
year to year. Still, it is quite possible, by drastic and judicious 
cutting back, to reclaim a tree which has been allowed to run wild. 
It is not uncommon to find that a fan-trained tree has become 
barren in fruit-bearing wood at the body of the tree, producing fruit 
at the extremities only. This is caused by the pruner having been 
afraid to use the knife in such a manner as to keep the tree within 
proper bounds, under the mistaken idea that it is a pity to cut off 
young wood. In such a case cut back without hesitation, retaining 
only a few good leaders. Then lift the tree and prune the roots — 
with a fine saw or a sharp chisel if the knife is insufficient — replant 
it, and lay out the leaders equally and symmetricall}^, making them 
fast to the wall by strong nails and shreds. Probably, after so ruth- 
less a cutting back, the tree, especially if it is of a strong constitution, 
will make vigorous growth during the next season, in which case 
allow all the summer growth possible, so as to tame down its wood- 
growing capacity. Then lay out each shoot carefully in a suitable 
direction, thinning out afterwards, as may be necessary, and cutting 
back the extremities from year to year, by which means the fruit- 
bearing wood will be kept in the body of the tree. 



FRUIT TREES NOT WALL-TRAINED 

Hitherto our attention has been confined to wall-trained fruit 
trees, as from these are obtained the choicest and most prized fruits 
— peaches, nectarines, apricots, greengages, etc.; but there is also 
scope, even in a small garden, for other sorts of fruit trees, such as 
the apple, the pear, the cherry and the plum. All these may be 
grown in the dwarf or half-standard style, and the proper method of 
pruning them needs a few words in this chapter. As 
?7d ^— ^h"'r ^^^ ^°^"^ °^ ^^^^ ^■"■^^ -^^ different from that of the waU- 
Pruning etc. trained tree, so its method of pruning must be corre- 
spondingly altered. The object of the pruning should 
be to form a full, round, cup-shaped head. All unproductive wood, 
crowded sprays and decayed branches, or any which cross each other, 
should be cut out, and the open, cup-like form rigorously maintained. 
It is possible that through neglect of timely pruning the fruit-spurs 

132 



FRUIT TREES 

of a tree may have become clubbed by being allowed to grow too 
closely together, thus hindering proper wood-growth and restricting 
the fruit-bearing capacity of the tree. In such a case cut away the 
upper part of the clubbed growth in such wise as that only two or 
three spurs remain, when small buds will push out and form fruiting 
wood the following year. 



SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF FRUIT TREES 

There still remains something to be said as to the particular 
qualities of the various kinds of fruit trees. The peach — and with 
it may be classed the nectarine — ^has purposely been 
taken as an example of the wall-trained fruit tree ^^^^ ^"^ 
because it seems to deserve more general cultivation 
by the amateur than is usually accorded to it. It is invariably 
conceded that there is no more delicious fruit than a weU-ripened, 
full-flavoured peach, and if the methods already suggested are carried 
out intelligently such fruit can be grown successfully and will well 
repay the care and attention devoted to it. 

The apricot and the greengage are also, as a rule, treated as 
wall-trained trees, for in our humid climate, when 
planted as standards or dwarfs, and away from dry Apricot and 
and warm walls, they do not fruit well. The reason reengage 
assigned is that in a damp atmosphere the pollen of the flower 
becomes " glued " and fails to fructify. 

The cherry may also be wall-trained, but it is not fond of the 
knife, and it does not need much thinning of the _ _ 
branches. Summer nipping is generally sufficient, a ^ Cherry 
method which prevents the " gumming " to which the tree is liable. 
Being an early flowerer, the tree is sometimes trained on a wall with 
a west or north-west aspect, with the object of checking its early 
blooming. In that case, however, it has the disadvantage of getting 
little or no sun at the roots, with the result that a tree of delicate 
constitution may sometimes be chilled to death — for the cherry loves 
warmth at its roots. On the other hand, the writer has a fine 
Morella in his present garden, trained against a wall facing due north, 
which is flourishing vigorously and has borne fruit abundantly for 
many years, though it is only fair to mention that the garden is well 
protected and the soil light and warm. 

133 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

The plum (of which the greengage is, perhaps, the most delicious 
variety) does not do well on a cold or clay sub-soil, 
um ^^^ ^^ ^ moist-laden climate. A poor soil really suits 
it best so long as it has good drainage, for it has a tendency to make 
a superabundance of wood if the soU be at all rich. As a conse- 
quence, frequent root pruning is generally necessary, and it should 
not be planted deep — a covering of 6 inches of soil is sufficient. 

The pear, especially when grown as a wall-trained tree, requires 
p root pruning or lifting more frequently, perhaps, than 

^ ^^ any other kind of fruit free, for its roots have a tendency 
to go deep into the ground to obtain moisture. The better the sub- 
soil, the greater is the inducement for this rampant root growth. 
As a consequence, the tree becomes unfruitful, although in large 
standard trees the results are, of course, not so disastrous, and it is 
often more advisable, therefore, to adopt the dwarf-standard form 
rather than the wall-trained. It is said of the monks of old, who 
were by no means deficient in the art of horticulture, that in planting 
their orchards — which, as we know, were generally on moist ground, 
in close proximity to some stream or river — they used to laj^ a large 
slab of stone some few inches beneath each pear tree, so as to pre- 
vent the deep ramification of the roots to which this tree is par- 
ticularly liable. Summer nipping is imperative in pruning the pear, 
as if all the wood-buds be allowed to remain they will so drain the 
strength of the tree that fruit-buds will not form — excessive wood 
growth being characteristic of the pear. 

The apple, of all our fruit trees, is, perhaps, the most valuable, 
as its fruit accommodates itself to many purposes and 
^ PP ^ can be stored for a prolonged time. Moreover, its 
medicinal properties are not to be despised; the old adage asserts 
that " An apple a day keeps the doctor away." There is no doubt 
that the apple is useful as a brain and nerve tonic, containing, as it 
does, a large percentage of phosphorus and malic acid in an easily- 
assimilated form. It is also claimed as a corrective for a sluggish 
liver (whence the time-honoured custom of serving apple-sauce with 
roast pork) and as a remedy for rheumatic and gouty troubles ; while 
it is said that where cider is the common beverage the disease of 
stone (calcuhis) is practically unknown. The apple tree requires 
good, deep soil — a rich, sandy loam is the best — and as the tendency 
of its root growth is to run just below the surface it does not usually 
require root pruning or lifting. 

134 



FRUIT TREES 



HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR PRUNER 

Speaking generally, there can be no doubt that the root pruning 
of fruit trees is an essential in the production of a good o . p 
crop of fruit, and if the tree be too large to lift con- *^oot*^rumng 
veniently, root pruning may be effected by digging away the soil 
from the roots until the strong feeders are disclosed, when, if too 
large for the knife, they may either be severed with a sharp chisel 
or with a fine-toothed saw, leaving the weaker roots untouched. 

In cutting away the branches of fruit trees, especially in the case 
of wall-trained trees, care should be taken to use a _ . 

thin, sharp knife, sufficiently keen to make a clean cut. ®^" " ^°^ 
If the cut be left with a rough, fractured edge the branch is liable to 
split, a result which is certain to be more or less deleterious to the 
tree. 

For cutting thick branches the fine-toothed pruning saw should 
be used, afterwards smoothing the saw-cut with the 
pruning knife and smearing it over with grafting paste, Protecting 
so as to prevent the decay which might ensue from ^^'^^ ^ 
water getting into the heart of the wood. This paste may be made by 
melting in a pipkin, over a slow fire, equal quantities of mutton fat 
and bees-wax with about four times the quantity of pitch. It should 
be applied warm, while it is sufficiently liquid to be spread with a 
brush. 



135 



BUSH FRUIT 

GOOSEBERRIES, CURRANTS AND RASPBERRIES 

No garden where fruit is grown would seem complete without the 
familiar gooseberry and currant bushes and the stalwart canes of 
the raspberry. It may be that their familiarity has bred some con- 
tempt for their welfare, for certainly one often finds that, in an other- 
wise well-ordered garden, these useful producers of good fruit are 
left to their own devices, unkept and uncared for. A little judicious 
pruning, a small amount of attention at the proper season, will do 
much to promote the life of the bush and to ensure a reasonable crop 
of fruit. 

PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS 

As the propagation of gooseberry and currant bushes by cuttings 
is a simple process, easily performed by the amateur, a few directions 
as to the method of making these cuttings may be desirable. 

The early autumn is the best time to make them, and they should 

be slipped from the well-ripened wood of the previous 
Season for year's growth. A convenient length is from lo to 12 
Slip-making inches, and all the buds on them should be cut off 
Disbudding except one at the base and (say) four up the stem, 
of Slips The importance of leaving only one bud at the base 

of the cutting should, perhaps, be emphasized by 
explaining that it is a method of guarding against the growth of 
suckers in the future. The cuttings should then be planted 
in good soil a foot or so apart, and in the following spring, when 
well rooted, they may be moved into the positions intended for 
them. Even thus early pruning may begin by cutting back, to a 

length of 5 or 6 inches, the shoots which have grown 
Pruning and fj.Qjji the original four buds, so as to produce lateral 
CuttSifff shoots from each. The aim of the pruner should be to 

gradually bring the new wood into a cup-like form, 
and this may often be assisted by the use of forked twigs and the 
judicious tying with raffia. 

136 



BUSH FRUIT 



THE GOOSEBERRY 

Perhaps one of the greatest difficulties to be contended with in 
maintaining the hfe of the gooseberry bush, and certainly in obtain- 
ing a due yield of fruit, is the depredations of the birds. Some sug- 
gestions for coping with this will be found at the end of this section, 
but no devices for protection will ensure a good crop of fruit if prun- 
ing be continuously neglected, while by the selection of a proper time 
for pruning much of the mischief wrought by birds can be provided 
against. Pruning should not, as a rule, be attempted 
before March, for until the buds begin to break it is p^^'Sp" for 
not easy to see what is fruit-bearing wood and what is '^^ 
not. Moreover, if it be done before the buds begin to show, those 
which afterwards break upon the wood which has been left for fruit- 
bearing may be pecked out by the birds, whereas after the buds 
have come forward a little they are not so tempting, and the pro- 
duction of fruit may be more relied upon. If, on pruning thus late, 
it is found that the buds have already been pecked out in the young 
outward branches, it is best to cut back such wood to a sound bud, as 
a precautionary measure against a budless branch. 

The best plan to adopt in pruning the gooseberry bush is to leave 
last season's growth at full length, though it may be 
shortened if it chances to extend beyond the space ^ethod of 
at command. A thinning should be made annually *'""^"ff 
by cutting out old limbs which have any signs of decay and by re- 
moving any young wood which may obstruct the admission of light 
and air, cutting back this young wood to within a few buds from the 
stem. 

Any suckers which may appear should be carefully eradicated 
from the very base and not merely cut back to the 
surface of the ground. These suckers are caused either ^®^°Y^^' 
by the cutting from which the bush was grown having ° "*^ ^^^ 
been badly made, or from imprudent digging around the bush having 
lacerated the roots and turned them up to the surface, causing them 
to send out shoots. If these are allowed to continue the ruin of the 
bush is inevitable, and for that reason the digging of the ground be- 
tween gooseberry bushes should never be done with the spade. A 
gentle loosening of the earth with a fork, to the depth of 6 or 8 inches, 
and an occasional use of the dutch hoe to keep down the weeds, is 
quite sufficient. 

137 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 



THE RED AND WHITE CURRANT 

Although the method of training and pruning into their proper 

form is the same for currants as for gooseberries, the 

Principles of future pruning for the production of fruit is not alike. 

runmg j^ ^-^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ white currants the fruit is borne 

by the old wood, and as soon as the requisite form of the bush has been 

attained the pruning should consist in cutting away annually the 

young shoots, leaving only those which may be needed as new 

branches for extending the size of the bush or for retaining its proper 

form. The lateral shoots which appear from year to year on the old 

wood should be cut back every season to within half an 

Production of jjj(.j^ gf g^ \^^(^^ ^j^g effect of which will be to cause large 

bpurs clusters of spurs to be formed in due time, and from 

these spurs the bunches of fruit are produced. As the bush grows 

old the spurs may, perhaps, become overcrowded, and it will then 

. be necessary to thin them out, while any old moss- 

Thinning grown wood should be removed as soon as it appears. 

The pruning above described may be done at any time from 

November to February, but not later, and in the 

Season for autumn the ground should be manured and gently 

runing forked over. In the spring, as soon as the buds 

begin to swell, a good dressing of soot should be given both to 

the bushes and ground as this is a preventive of 

°° the attacks of caterpillars and also is beneficial as 

a manure. 



THE BLACK CURRANT 

With the black currant the pruning for fruit production is quite 

. different from that of red and white currants. On 

Pruning ^j^^ black currant the fruit comes from the young 

growth, the growth of the previous year. It follows, therefore, that 

an annual thinning out of the old wood must be made, so as to get 

new fruit-bearing wood for each successive season. While with red 

and white currants the object in view is to produce good spurs of 

wood, with the black currant no spurs must be per- 

No Fruit mitted, for as the fruit is produced from the wood 

^^^^ of the second year the growth of new wood must be 

encouraged and the bush kept well open in the centre to light and 

138 



BUSH FRUIT 

air. Finally, it should be borne in mind that the black currant 
bush is a strong grower and therefore requires a good ^ 
soil and heavy dressings of manure to enable it to pro- a°"fe 
duce fine fruit. 



THE liASPBERRY 

It is often said — though no reason is generally adduced for the 
truth of the statement — that raspberries will thrive 
well where black currants flourish, but that neither °^ 
raspberries nor black currants are productive where the cherry 
thrives. Be this as it may, there is no doubt that the soil for rasp- 
berry canes should be light and of sandy substance, while a yearly 
dressing of manure is necessary to induce vigorous __ 
growth. As with all ground devoted to fruit trees and ^""''^ 
bushes, the digging should not be done with a spade, lest the roots 
be cut or bruised, but the soil should be gently loosened with a fork, 
taking care not to disturb the stools of the main plants. Every 
autumn, before the manuring is done, the stray suckers , 
should be removed and the pruning of the canes "^ ^^^ 
attended to. If the plants are growing well and vigorously there 
will probably be many canes 5 or 6 feet high to each 
stool, in which case cut down, close to the ground, aU P">?i?? *"" 
but four; but should the canes be weak, it will be wise *" ^ 
to leave only three, two, or even one. None of the canes, even if they 
be strong and vigorous, should be allowed to exceed (say) 5 feet in 
height, and the tops should be cut off accordingly and brought to a 
uniform height for each stool. A strong stake should be used for 
each stool, and the canes should be looped to it — with soft-finished 
garden string — at the top and half-way down. In pruning it is 
necessary to bear in mind that new wood is required each year, as 
those canes which have borne fruit never do so a second time. It is 
important, also, to remember that the stools should not _ 
be crowded too closely together, so as to prevent the ^ 
free access of sun and air. A radius of 3 or 4 feet should be allowed 
to each stool. 



139 



FRUIT DESTROYERS AND 
GARDEN PESTS 

BIRDS 

There is scarcely anything more vexatious to the gardener who sees 
his fruit on the point of coming to perfection and is beginning to 
congratulate himself on the result of the labour and attention he 
has so freely bestowed, than to find that his expectations are being 
falsified by the ravages of the birds, for not only are their depre- 
dations serious in their results but they seem doubly annoying from 
the fact that the achievement aimed at is so nearly accomplished. 

It is no uncommon occurrence, for instance, to find 
Provoking ^j^g^^ -j-j-^g cherry tree, watched with such interest during 
Misc le ^j^g j^g^ £g^^ ^g^yg because of its fruit being so nearly 

ready to pick, has been almost denuded in a single night — or, to be 
more exact, during one early morning — by a flight of starlings. But 
the mischief done by birds is not confined to their depredations on 
ripe fruit ; the pecking out of the fresh green buds on the gooseberry 
bush and the nipping of the succulent young leaves of the early pea 
are examples of the havoc that they can make in the spring. As 
regards the young fruit-buds, the finches — bullfinches, pre-eminently 
— are the worst offenders in country districts, but the ubiquitous 
sparrows are nearly as bad. Their attacks on the gooseberry bush 
are particularly disastrous. No sooner do the young buds appear 
than the birds peck out all they can conveniently reach, not only 
destroying the chances of fruit for the season but seriously endanger- 
ing the life of the bush. Doubtless one of the best methods of 

protection is to plant all the fruit bushes within a 
Means of certain area and enclose the whole with small meshed 

De ence wire-netting, but in a garden of small dimensions such 

a plan is unsightly and inconvenient. Fortunately there are other 
means of defence which, if not so absolutely effective, are lessexpensive 

140 



FRUIT DESTROYERS AND GARDEN PESTS 

and easier of application. A simple plan, and one which the writer 
has found very useful, is to run a thread of stout k C tt n 

black cotton from branch to branch all round the bush. 
The cotton being black, the birds do not easily see it, and alighting 
on a branch thus protected, their claws become entangled and they 
are alarmed, so that they shun the spot for the future. The same 
method may be usefully applied to protect the young shoots of the 
peas, which being succulent and tasty morsels for the birds, are often 
nipped off immediately they appear above ground, thus destroying 
the crop. It is a good rule, theiefore, to run two or three lines of 
black cotton along the rows of peas as soon as the sowing is com- 
pleted, for to delay this protection until the shoots appear is often 
fatal; the birds are sharp-sighted and will probably perceive the 
young shoots before the gardener has noticed them. Another plan 
for the protection of fruit-buds is to place on the 
ground beneath each bush a shallow pan kept filled j^^^j^^*^^'^ 
with water — the ordinary flower-pot saucer is as good 
as anything for the purpose. These saucers of water make a con- 
venient drinking supply for the birds, and it is asserted that if they 
have free access, in shallow receptacles such as these, to water which 
they can drink and splash about in without danger, they will re- 
frain, in a great measure, from attacking the buds, to which they 
have recourse chiefly because of the moisture they contain. The 
same theory is applicable to the ravages made by birds on ripe fruit, 
and there seems no reason to reject it as mere idle fancy. Indeed, to 
a certain extent, it has been substantiated by the writer's personal 
experience, for with the use of water pans he has succeeded in gather- 
ing a full crop of cherries (of which starlings and blackbirds seem to 
be inordinately fond) without any serious depredations by the birds, 
while with a neighbour, who has a similar tree in a garden close at 
hand, but who disdains any such precautions, nearly all the cherries 
were devoured by the birds. 



CATS 

It may be that some lovers of cats wiU almost take offence at 
these domestic pets being included in the list of garden pests, but in 
the suburbs of towns, where gardens are small and adjoin each other, 
there can be no doubt that the gambols of cats are a serious nuisance, 
especially in the spring. A seed-bed, either in the vegetable or 
flower garden, has been carefully prepared, the seed sown, and 

141 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

the soil lightly sifted over it, but when the gardener goes on his 
morning round he finds that in the course of the pre- 
'^r^ ^d *b d vious night it has been made a playground for some of 
o ee - e s j^^^ neighbours' cats. Its trim surface has been ruth- 
lessly destroyed, it has been rolled upon and scratched into holes, the 
evenly-distributed seed is thrown into lumps and patches, and the 
entire work of the previous evening is spoilt and has to be done again. 
In dealing with a garden surrounded by other gardens it is best to 
. recognize and provide against this annoyance at once 

Prevention ^^ raising some defence against the entry of cats, and 
nothing is more efficacious than to surmount the walls with wire- 
netting (a fine mesh is not requisite) some 2 or 3 feet high. This should 
be stretched from end to end of the walls, and may be supported 
either by iron stakes inserted into the top of the wall or by stout 
wooden laths firmly nailed to the side of the wall and painted some 
unobtrusive colour. Of course the bottom of the wire netting must 
itself be firmly secured, and this may be effected by means of small 
iron staples driven into the wall over the bottom edge of the netting 
at distances of not more than a foot. A wooden trellis, which is 
sometimes advised as being less unsightly, is reaUy almost useless 
for the purpose, as a cat can climb it with ease ; but a wire netting, 
which provides no hold for its claws and only a fine wire for the pad 
of its foot, a cat will not climb. For country gardens, however, such 
an elaborate defence is seldom needful, but it is well to be prepared 
against the occasional incursions of cats by covering any recently- 
sown seed-bed with some of the previous year's pea-sticks or similar 
tree-loppings. 

AMERICAN BLIGHT 

The apple tree and the oak are generally considered to be par- 
ticularly subject to this pest. It is a woolly-looking substance of 
insect ^ growth, infesting the bark of the tree and piercing the sap 
vessels, and ultimately destroying the branch it attacks. It lies 
dormant at the foot of the tree during the winter, but in the spring 
it renews its ravages and will spread throughout the tree if its pro- 
gress be not stopped. The best remedy is the free use 
Remedy ^^ paraffin, rubbed into the crevices of the bark with 

a short-haired paint brush wherever the insect appears; and in the 
p . winter, to prevent a recurrence of the trouble, a 

Preventive j^ther of soft soap may be applied with a stiff brush 
to the base of the tree's stem. 

142 



FRUIT DESTROYERS AND GARDEN PESTS 



ANTS 

These insects are often a great plague to the gardener, especially 
if their nests appear upon the turf. In such a case ^ ,. 
they should be dealt with summarily, before they have 
attained to any considerable size, by pouring in boihng water. 
Ants may also become a serious pest by attacking ^ ., , . 
wall-fruit just as it is ripening, when their ravages may 
be stopped by laying a broad band of tar, mixed with a little sugar, 
on the bottom of the wall and around the stem of the trees. It is 
said that similar bands drawn in white chalk will have the same 
effect. 



APHIS (Green Fly) 

The rose is the chief victim of this pest, and as its attacks are often 
an indication that the tree is unhealthy or insufficiently nourished, 
steps should at once be taken to supply its needs. 
To remove the clusters of green fly on the young shoots ^f ^kness 
or buds of the rose nothing is better than the aphis 
brush, which consists of a pair of soft brushes joined together with 
a steel bow, so that by pressure of the hand the two brushes are 
brought in contact and the bud between them effectively cleared. 



DADDY-LONG-LEGS 

The grubs of this insect are sometimes, especially after a hot 
summer, very mischievous in gardens, destroying the roots of the 
turf on lawns and occasionally attacking choice plants, eating 
through the " collar " where root and stem meet. When they 
appear in the grass it is a good plan to roll the turf 
late at night and early in the morning, thus crushing 0° "fng. 
them while feeding. They may also be accumulated 
and destroyed by careful sweeping if it be done late in the evening 
and early in the morning, and a thorough watering 
with strong liquid manure, such as a solution of guano m^" ^g 
or nitrate of soda, is a good remedy when plants are 
attacked by these grubs, the solution being noxious to the grub 
and beneficial to the plant. 

143 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

EARWIGS 

Dahlias are the favourite haunt of these insects, but any flowers 
of sufficient size are utilized by them for shelter. The insects are 
so quick in movement and so anxious for concealment that even 
when entrapped they will escape if care be not used. Perhaps the 
best and simplest trap is that of a small flower-pot, stuffed with a 
little dry moss and inverted on the top of a stake, but 
Traps ^^ ^g effective it should be examined every evening- — 

or better still, both morning and evening — and its catch of earwigs 
destroyed by plunging it into hot water. 

SLUGS AND SNAILS 

In moist gardens, and particularly in beds which are edged with 
grass or some herbaceous border, slugs and snails may do much 
mischief; not only in the vegetable garden but also in the flower- 
beds. Among slugs the small black-and-white varieties are pro- 
bably the most destructive, because they are less readily detected, 
whereas the larger sort can easily be caught with a pair of tongs by 
L K' d hunting for them at nightfall; a warm, damp evening 
majfbe ^" is sure to bring them abroad. Fresh lime, dusted on 
Caught the ground, is a common remedy, but its efficacy in 

rainy weather is soon exhausted, and in the writer's 
w"^cfA^h belief the best means of protection from slugs is the 

use of wood ashes and the ashes which are the result 
of the occasional bonfire of such garden rubbish as cannot be dug in 
as manure. These ashes, if kept dry and mixed with a little soot and 
coal ashes, are invaluable for dusting over seedlings and young 
vegetable crops, as in addition to warding off the attacks of slugs 
they enrich the soil and thereby promote a rapid growth which 
quickly emancipates the plant from the attacks of vermin. This 
method is also a protection from the ravages of snails, against whom, 
however, a more open warfare may be waged by searching for them 
at evening or early morning and destroying them. A good plan to 

prevent snails crawling up a wall is to daub the bottom 
Oil and Soot ^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^-^^^ ^ p^^^^ compounded of train oil and 

soot, thus forming a barrier over which they will not pass. 

WASPS 

The summer depredations of wasps may often become a serious 

144 



FRUIT DESTROYERS AND GARDEN PESTS 

matter if the previous winter has been mild and fairly dry, and has 
therefore been favourable for preserving alive a larger number than 
usual of the female wasps. In such a case the gardener must look 
out for damage to his wall-fruit, which will probably be attacked 
just as it is ripening. The wasps eat away the pulp 
under the skin, generally making a beginning on that Hf "if r^ *> 
side of the fruit which is nearest the wall, so that at 
first glance the mischief is often unobserved. As soon, therefore, as 
any wasps are seen in a garden some means of protecting the ripening 
wall-fruit should be adopted without delay. A simple contrivance, 
and as effective as it is simple, is a high-shouldered glass jar (such 
as that used for pickles and jam) into which should 
be poured a small quantity of some kind of syrup — Si"^^^^ r 
sugar and beer mixed together is a good compound. Protection 
Round the neck of the jar a piece of string should be 
fastened, leaving two free ends of string some 6 inches long on each 
side, by which the jar can be suspended either to nails in the wall 
or on a branch of the fruit tree. The syrup thus provided forms a 
tempting bait for the wasps, and if the jar has the usual slanted 
shoulders and is not too wide-mouthed, the wasps, when once in, 
cannot easily get out again. The number of jars required must de- 
pend, of course, upon the amount of fruit which has to be protected, 
but as their preparation is not difficult, it is well not to be sparing. 
They should be replenished with syrup from time to time, and the 
wasps which have been caught in the trap may be destroyed by pour- 
ing in hot water. 

WIRE-WORM 

If a garden, or any particular bed in it, is infested with wire- worms, 
drastic means of extermination should be taken, for these pests are 
not easy to get rid of ; and as some kinds live in the larvajstate for three 
years, they have plenty of time to do much damage. The most effec- 
tive plan for destroying them is to dig in a thick sowing of quicklime 
and allow the ground to remain fallow for a winter, thus ^^ • i ,• 
cutting off aU means of sustenance for the grub. Traps ^"^^ *™^ 
may also be used, with good effect, in the shape of slices of potato, 
carrot or turnip buried about an inch in the earth. Each piece should 
have a skewer stuck into it to show its position, and it _ 
must be examined, and its catch destroyed, every morn- 
ing. Fortunately most birds are very fond of wire- worms, and, if per- 
mitted, will materiaUy assist the gardener in his war against them, 
i^ 145 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

WOOD-LICE 

It seems to be a prevalent notion among jobbing gardeners and 

florists that wood-lice are not harmful to plants, but 

Popular g^g g^ matter of fact they are terribly destructive to 

^ tender seedlings, especially in a frame, where they can 

secrete themselves against its sides. So early do they attack young 

flowers that it often appears as if the seed had failed 
Att ck"^ to come up, for the minute stalks which have been 

deprived of their leaves by the wood-lice are almost 
invisible. When a frame or pit is thus infected the wood-lice may 
. , _ generally be destroyed by pouring boiling water along 
infected frame ^j^g sides of the frame, but if this fails to make a clear- 
ance recourse must be had to trapping. In common with earwigs, 

they love darkness and a dry, snug retreat, and a 
Traps thumb-sized flower-pot, with a fresh slice of potato or 

apple as a bait, and filled up with dry moss, will prove an aUuring 
trap. Two or three of them should be placed in the frame or bed 
where the wood-lice are found to be destructive, and the next 
morning they will probably each contain a large number of the 
insects, which may be destroyed by knocking the whole contents of 
the pot into a pail of hot water. Of course the traps must be re-laid 
from day to day until the clearance is complete, but the remedy is 
unfailing if persevered with. The earlier in the morning the traps 
are cleared the better will be the catch. 



HOT WATER AS AN INSECTICIDE 

In a recent number of Le Jardine it has been pointed out by Mons. 
Boillet that the green-fly and aU caterpillars are instantly killed by 
immersion in water heated to 45° C. (113° F.), while beetles, in spite 
of the greater protection their bodies possess, perish in water of 50° C. 
Plants, however, will survive immersion in water of 54° C, and 
accordingly, when pot-plants are attacked by insects, an easy and 
effective method of getting rid of the pests is to roll the pot in a cloth 
(so as to prevent the soil from dropping out) and plunge the plant 
for a few seconds into water 50° C. (122° F.) On fruit trees, also, 
caterpillars and insects may be destroyed by applying hot water 
either with a brush or with a syringe. In using a sjnringe, however, 
it should be borne in mind that hot water loses heat in passing through 
the air, and its temperature, therefore, should be raised proportion- 
ately — say, 5° for every 2 yards through which it has to pass. 

146 




■ ^^-^- >■ 1 


r 






.iaMM^-1 




»-^. 




^ ^JgL 


'i 









THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

MONTH BY MONTH 

JANUARY 

The first month of the year is emphatically not the month for " good 
resolutions " with regard to the garden if success is really desired. 
The good resolutions must have been made, and swiftly acted on, in 
October and November, when the glory of the garden is newly de- 
parted and the spent land and languishing plants call for all the 
attention the gardener can give. January, with its uncertain weather, 
may indeed prove almost entirely a close time, when the procras- 
tinator will bitterly repent not having seized earlier opportunities 
of trenching and pruning and numberless other pressing affairs. 

In a favourable year, however, January can be made quite a 
busy time, and, in any case, no odd hour of good weather should be 
wasted, as the labours of a busy spring may be much lightened by 
forethought and energy now. Even a frost may be utilized to 
wheel out manure to where it will be wanted later on for digging in; 
while if, instead of being frost-bound, the land is suitably dry, plots 
of ground may now be manured for early crops, unless the soil is 
very light indeed and the rains heavy, in which case it is still rather 
early. 

We will suppose that all fruit-tree pruning has been quite finished 
before this, but the shoots and twigs may be now slowly burnt to a 
dry ash, which forms a most valuable manure and insecticide. All 
such odd work, as clearing away rubbish, overlooking pea-sticks, 
seed potatoes and other roots, and the careful study of the seeds 
likely to be wanted, should be in progress. Where seeds have not 
been saved, but must be bought, it is none too early to do so. Tools 
also should be set in order and replaced where necessary. 

The making of a hot-bed is another operation suitable for January 
when conditions permit, and its usefulness is undeniable, as early 
crops will well repay the pains bestowed to obtain them. Nor is the 

147 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

usefulness of the manure employed restricted thereby; it is only 
maturing for use in the borders later on. 

Stable manure is generally used for hot-beds. Manured straw 
should be heaped together, watered, beaten down, and left for a 
week, when it should be turned over and again watered if dry. This 
operation should be repeated several times until the odour has ceased 
to be disagreeable. Next the bed should be prepared, its size being 
determined by the size of the frame for use upon it. The depth of 
manure, however, varies according to the heat desired. For a slight 
hot-bed manure a foot and a half deep is sufficient, and this may be 
increased up to 4 feet and more where a more potent hot-bed is 
required. A mild but efficient bed can be made from lawn cuttings, 
decaying leaves, etc. Moistened and set to ferment in good time, 
they are very valuable in this connection, and some growers always 
mingle a proportion of leaf manure with stable manure in making a 
hot-bed. When the bed is prepared and the frame in place — but 
not shut — and a few days' interval allowed for the passing off of 
rank steam, a covering of loamy soil must be added, and the hot-bed 
or forcing ground will then be ready. 

But forcing need not be restricted to the hot-bed proper. A 
sheltered and dry border, well screened, may often be used to secure 
early crops. Good drainage and a suitable light rich soil are essential ; 
but given these much may be accomplished. 

January is also a suitable month for draining the garden more 
thoroughly, should it be requisite and the weather permits it. 

ASPARAGUS beds should now be well manured by laying manure 
on them and allowing the rain to wash it down to the roots of the 
plants. 

BEANS {Broad) may be sown in frames, and the best method is 
to use 6-incli pots sunk in a hot-bed prepared as for Cucumbers. 
Towards the end of the month, in a sheltered part of the garden, well 
manured and dug, Beans may be sown in the open, and will often do 
very well. They should be protected with litter or branches against 
the frost. 

CABBAGE. Plant out towards the end of the month when the 
weather permits. 

CARROTS may be sown on a hot-bed, or on a south border under 
a hand-light. 

CAULIFLOWERS should be started in a mild hot-bed or in a 
frame, and should be ready to plant out in March or April. 

148 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

CRESS AND MUSTARD may be sown in pans, allowing a few 
days between each sowing. In this way a constant supply will be 
ensured. Later on sow in the open ground. It is not a bad plan to 
sow Cress and Mustard round other crops, such as Potatoes, where 
frame space is limited. 

CUCUMBERS may be had all the year round if grown under 
glass with proper heating, and some people will even manage this 
with a hot-bed and frame. Three months must be allowed for 
growing, so that October's sowing should be ready now and seed 
sown to procure Cucumbers in April. 

The structure of a Cucumber house must be left to the individual 
grower; a lean-to facing south is advised. The soil should be of 
turfy loam and leaf mould, if possible, and the secret of success is to 
let nothing check the rapid growth of the plants. Cucumber plants 
require a temperature of not less than 60° even at night, and very 
careful watering with water the same temperature as the house. 
The roots should never be allowed to get dry. 

LETTUCES may be sown in a warm border, under a hand-light, 
or, better still, in a frame. Protect them well, and where a constant 
supply is required sow small quantities at intervals of about a fort- 
night or three weeks. 

PEAS. In favourable weather Early Peas may be sown out of 
doors on a sheltered border, and it is advisable to put the rows some 
distance apart and plant between them some other crops, such as 
Potatoes, Cauliflowers, etc. A still earlier picking may be secured 
by sowing in pots in a frame, transferring the plants later to the open 
ground. The heat in the frame should not be excessive. 

POTATOES are extremely acceptable if ready early, and on an 
exhausted hot-bed a good crop may be secured. A covering of light 
soil must be given before putting a frame over them, and they must 
be carefully protected from frost. Some writers recommend a heap 
of leaves or a small quantity of farm-house manure as giving sufficient 
heat for Potatoes, and for anyone who grows Melons the pit prepared 
for them may well be utilized for an early crop of Potatoes first, as 
if started in the middle of January the Potatoes will be ready for use 
by the time the Melons should be planted. 

RADISHES may also be grown on a partially-spent hot-bed. 

SEA-KALE should now have a good covering of soil or leaves 
and the protection of pots to blanch it. Manure is not really 
necessary. The same procedure is recommended for early Rhubarb. 

149 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

January is also the time when Sea-kale growing may be commenced in 
a frame that is generally heated, but which has no lights. 

SPINACH should be sown in the open, but care must be taken 
to sow again if frost should destroy the young plants. Autumn- 
sown Spinach may now be ready in some gardens. 

STRAWBERRY plants may now be potted and put in a frame 
for forcing; an occasional dose of liquid manure will be found 
useful, 

TOMATO seed may now be thinly sown in well-drained pots. 
Cover lightly and keep at an even temperature of not less than 60°. 
When large enough transfer the young plants to small pots and keep 
near the glass until well established. Almost any available glass 
will serve to grow Tomatoes under, and if treated after the manner 
of Cucumbers, but at a lower temperature, splendid crops may be 
secured. For outdoor growing the seed should not be sown until 
March or April. 

FEBRUARY 

" February fill-dyke " gives but scant encouragement to the 
gardener who sets his heart on planning his work beforehand with 
certainty, but for the quick seizer of opportunity it is often a month 
that yields a great deal of suitable weather, for the sun is fast gaining 
power, and spring is almost here. 

Before the heaviest work of spring is started, much digging, 
manuring, and even weeding is the portion of this month. And 
almost as a first task garden paths and edgings should be put in order, 
for there will be little chance for merely ornamental gardening later 
on. Also to heap up, and even to increase, the supply of protective 
materials is a necessity where early sowings are practised, for frosts 
are still to be guarded against and may do much damage now. The 
gardener who has been sowing in January will have his frames to 
attend to daily. Water, although often very necessary, must be 
given with great care as long as there is a chance of frost. 

ARTICHOKES {Jerusalem) may be planted now. Select a piece 
of garden ground that can be given up to them, as they are difficult 
to get rid of, and plant the tubers a good distance apart. 

BEANS may be sown for a proper succession, the end of the 
month being the best time for sowing the principal crop. Between 

150 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

rows of potatoes is a suitable place to select. Care should be taken 
to harden off those sown in the frame last month before planting 
out. 

BROCCOLI may be sown in a frame and also in a sheltered spot 
out of doors. In a well-stocked garden there should be Broccoli 
ready for cutting during the month. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Sow now in a warm spot in the open. 

CABBAGE. The plants sown in the late summer should be 
ready for planting out now, and should afford nice heads in the early 
summer. If, however, a quick-growing variety is sown now in pans 
in a frame they will be ready to cut almost as soon. 

CARROTS. Sow thickly on a warm border and thin out later. 
They should be ready in May. 

CAULIFLOWERS. Seed should be sown under glass to make 
a succession. Those plants under hand-glasses should be given a 
sufficiency of air and light. 

GARLIC should be planted out in rows about g inches apart, in 
rich soil. 

LETTUCE. Plant out (after hardening) from frames and hot- 
beds, and sow again both in frames and in the open for a succession. 
There are two sorts of Lettuce in favour — the tall variety called the 
cos and a short dwarf form caUed the cabbage. For the amateur the 
latter is much the easier to grow, as it does not need tying. 

ONIONS and LEEKS may both be sown for salads in a warm 
border. For the main crops, thoroughly trench the ground now 
and manure it well. Sow in driUs, and thin the crop at intervals. 

PARSLEY. Sow in drills or between short-lived crops in the 
latter part of the month. 

PARSNIPS. Sow as early as possible in ground that has been 
well dug. The rows should be i8 inches apart and thinned to half 
the distance. 

PEAS. Sow early sorts now in considerable quantities. If 
those already up are not promising well, dig in and sow again. 
Earth up those that are advancing well and stick them, as the sticks 
form a protection. Where sticks are scarce Dwarf Peas are advised, 
but the taller varieties bear more abundantly. 

POTATOES. Sow a few rows of an early sort in a warm position. 
A light, mellow soil is advised. 

151 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

RADISHES. Sow in the open, but in a dry, warm spot, and 
take care to cover with Hght htter to keep off the frost, removing it 
in all favourable weather. 

RHUBARB. Divide part of the Rhubarb bed into plants having 
one eye apiece, and re-plant a yard apart in good soil. These new 
plants should be left until next season before being gathered from. 

SAVOYS. Sow now in a frame, or in a very favoured position, 
and prick out the young plants as soon as possible, as plenty of space 
is a requisite. 

SEA-KALE. When the plants begin to push up they should be 
covered with pots made for the purpose, that they may be blanched 
for the table. A covering of leaves to the pots will be found more 
effective than covering them with manure ; but if the latter is used 
it should be well prepared and the heat allowed to pass off. Sea- 
kale may be planted now in the open ground. 

SHALLOT. Sow now on good ground. 

SPINACH. Sow now. 

STRAWBERRIES. Some people like to make a new planta- 
tion now. In that case runners, selected for the plump, healthy 
crowns, should be planted about eighteen inches apart and well 
mulched with manure. Plants in pots placed in heat now should 
bear as early as April. 

TURNIPS. Sow now in a very sheltered position. 



MARCH 

In this month all arrears of work must be swiftly made up, and 
the wise gardener wiU leave nothing at loose ends if he can help it. 
As the days lengthen great industry must be used to make the most 
of every moment of fine weather, only taking into consideration that 
it is a mistake to sow seeds in damp soil if it is also heavy in character. 
In a light soil, however, sow as early as possible. 

At this time, too, the gardener's yearly warfare with the birds 
must be taken up in earnest. In almost all gardens it will be found 
necessary to protect the seed-beds from the active marauders of the 
air. Netting is probably the best means of keeping off the birds, 
but it is also an expensive one. Branches laid lightly on the beds 
is of some use, but is often far from effective; a better substitute for 
netting is rows of hlach cotton fastened on sticks at either end of 

152 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

the rows. White is more often used, but is not nearly so good, as 
the artful birds see it and apparently realize its dangers. Something 
which gets in their way but which they can hardly see is far more 
alarming to them. 

Nearly every kind of vegetable seed may be sown in March ; the 
first care is to keep up a succession of sowings on heat for the earliest 
crops and to plant and to sow in the open as much as time and weather 
will permit. 

ARTICHOKES (Globe) should now be allowed to get as much 
sunshine as possible. The ground should also be well worked and 
manured, ready for suckers to be put in at the end of the month or 
during April. Globe Artichokes bear best in the second or third 
year, so that it is advisable to plant a row or two every year, clearing 
away a proportion of old plants at the same time. A still better 
way to get an early picking is to supply suckers in the spring by 
sowing afresh every year and protecting the seedlings during the 
winter. 

ARTICHOKES {Jerusalem) should be planted now. A sunny 
spot with good soil and plenty of room will produce a crop that will 
well repay a little trouble in selecting and preparing it. Whole sets 
should be planted, if possible, a foot deep and about a yard apart. 
Keep the ground stirred about them when the plants are up, and 
when the leaves are decayed cut down the stems, but not before. 

ASPARAGUS. The end of this month, or during April, sow 
seed in rich soil. Weed the existing beds and, if the weather is dry, 
water once thoroughly. 

BEANS. There should be Beans to plant out from the frames 
now, and early sowings in the open coming forward and needing 
care. For the main sowing of all kinds of Beans, except the dwarf 
French Bean, March is the best month. The French Bean is a little 
less hardy, and at present should only be sown now in a favoured 
position — sunny and sheltered. 

BEET. Sow now for an early crop, but protect from frost. 

BROCCOLI. Plant out from frames; also sow twice, with about 
three weeks between, for an autumn and winter supply. Plants that 
are ready to occupy their permanent quarters in May or June may 
be depended on for the autumn. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS now need care and attention, and the 
young plants should be put into rich, well-prepared soil. Also sow 

153 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

in the open in a sheltered border both Brussels Sprouts and other 
Winter Greens, such as Scotch Kale, Savoys, etc. 

CABBAGES. Sow plentifully now to follow earlier crops and 
to make up for failures. A quick-growing seed sown now should 
prove very useful in July and August. When putting out young 
Cabbage plants mulch the roots with a compost of wet soil, to prevent 
dryness. Sow Red Cabbage for pickling in the autumn. 

CARDOONS. Sow this month in a frame or in a very sheltered 
spot. When large enough plant out in weU-manured soil about 
8 inches apart, and finally in trenches, as for Celery, only farther 
apart. 

CARROTS. Some seed of an early sort should be sown now, 
but the main crop can be deferred until next month. Ground pre- 
pared for Carrots should be manured in the previous autumn, and 
the admixture of sand is advised by some. 

CAULIFLOWERS. Sow now in well-manured land to get 
young plants for putting out in May and June. Plant out from 
frames, etc., choosing good ground. 

CELERY. Sow a little seed for early use on a mild hot-bed, 
and again in the middle of the month. As soon as the plants are 
large enough prick out to a rich soil over a heap of manure. 

CUCUMBERS. The plants should now be in good condition, 
but sow seeds for a succession. If Cucumbers have not been pre- 
viously grown, now is a good time to start. 

HERBS. Sow now various kinds or divide up the existing 
plants. Mint may be propagated by dividing the roots. Parsley 
should now be sown in sufficient quantity. 

HORSERADISH. Plant now. 

LEEKS. Sow in very rich soil about the middle of the month, 
transplanting when large enough. 

LETTUCE. Plant out the young plants that are ready and sow 
again in considerable quantity. 

MELON. Sow now in small pots in a warm house, in readiness 
for putting into the beds next month. 

ONIONS. Sow in drills about the middle of the month, and 
choose the best ground available. As soon as the plants are forward 
enough stir the ground about them and keep it free from weeds. 

154 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

PARSNIPS. Sow the main crop early in the month in drills 
15 to 18 inches apart. 

PEAS. Make fresh sowings, remembering to have the rows of 
Peas divided by rows of Cabbage, Spinach, or Potatoes. Earth up 
and stick the early crops as soon as possible. 

POTATOES. Plant the main crop during this month. 

RADISHES. Sow in small quantities. 

RHUBARB. This is the latest month for making fresh planta- 
tions. 

SEA-KALE. Sow in well-prepared beds. The existing crop 
will still require covering to some extent. 

SPINACH. Sow the ordinary Summer Spinach in drills in the 
open. Also some of the Perpetual Spinach (Spinach-beet). 

STRAWBERRIES. This is a good time for planting, if weather 
conditions are favourable. 

TOMATOES. Sow early in the month to obtain plants on which 
to ripen fruit in the open. 

TURNIPS. Sow plentifully late in the month. Also some seed 
for an earlier crop may be sown on a south border. 

VEGETABLE MARROWS. Sow seeds in pots— three seeds in 
a pot is usual — and place in a cucumber frame. Later on pot singly, 
or at most two in a pot. 

APRIL 

In a month of sharp showers and warm sunshine there is much 
to be done in the way of watching the results of the labours of the 
last two months. Young plant life should abound in every direction, 
and every plant should be given its chance, its fuU meed of care 
and attention. Decided failures should be replaced immediately, 
for there is now not a moment to be lost. All plants will need 
watering after being transplanted, and if the weather should con- 
tinue dry the watering should be repeated every day or two until 
the plants appear established. Thorough thinning is as important 
a part of the month's work as transplanting, as overcrowding is 
fatal to the development of any plant, and for certain crops, such as 
Carrots and Parsnips, thinning is the whole business, since the plants 
taken up will not bear transplanting. Careful weeding will also 
repay the gardener for the time he spends on it, as many weeds 

155 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

flower during this month and the next, and if allowed to do so will 
soon have the garden under their own disastrous control. Some of 
the forced crops, such as Strawberries, Kidney Beans, etc., should 
be in good condition, and a careful lookout must be kept to make 
judicious pickings at the right moment, for to let any grow over-ripe 
on the plant is not only to lose the individual bean, or whatever it 
may be, but to weaken and help to destroy the plant from which it 
should have been taken. All forced crops must be watered carefully 
now, and an occasional dose of liquid manure may often be found 
beneficial. For a final caution, beware of insects, as they will now 
be awakening to activity and must be destroyed as soon as they 
appear. 

ARTICHOKES {Globe). If beds were prepared last month, 
suckers should now be put in at a distance of 2 or 3 feet apart, with 
4 or 5 feet between the rows. 

ARTICHOKES {Jerusalem) , If not already done, a planting of 
the tubers may still be made during the early part of this month. 
It should be remembered that a row of Artichokes set about 18 
inches apart make an excellent screen for an ugly fence. 

ASPARAGUS. Keep the old beds quite clean, and if a new seed- 
bed is required, prepare it now. Sow the seeds thinly and as evenly 
as possible; also thin out very thoroughly when the time comes. 
Another plan is to procure new beds by planting roots instead of 
seeds, and in that way an earlier cutting will be secured. The bed 
for roots and seeds alike requires to have had a good amount of 
manure well dug in and to be in a mellow condition. 

BEANS {Broad). Sow a few rows for succession. 

BEANS {Kidney). Sow sparingly towards the end of the month, 
but take great care to protect from frost. 

BEET. Sow at any favourable time during this month in an 
open, sunny spot. The ground should be deeply dug, but not 
manured. 

BROCCOLI. Make another sowing of some early sort. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Sow during this month for a late crop. 

CABBAGE. Plant out from seed-beds and water in dry weather. 
Sow for autumn use. 

CARROTS. Sow the main crop and, if desirable, continue to 
sow for succession until the end of July. 

156 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

CAULIFLOWERS. Sow aTsmall quantity now to be planted 
out as soon as possible. From early sowings there should be nice 
young plants to be put out whenever the weather is suitable, but be 
careful to protect them against cold. 

CELERY. Sow now for a late supply in the open ground on a 
bed chiefly composed of manure. Plants raised earlier, in pots, 
should be pricked out and well protected and looked after. 

CHERVIL. Sow this month and treat in the same way as 
parsley. 

CHICORY. Sow late this month, also in May and June, in 
shallow drills, thinning the young plants well when they come up. 
The roots form a vegetable, but if the tops are required for salad the 
plants will need to be put into a frame later on for blanching. 

CUCUMBERS. As the sun's heat increases admit more air to 
the growing plants and pinch off all shoots above the fruit. 

ENDIVE. Sow now in moderate heat, pricking out into a rich 
light soil later on. 

LEEKS. Sow the main crop now, and transplant later on. 

LETTUCE. Sow a few seeds this and every month to keep up 
the succession. At this time it is best to sow where the plants are 
to remain, choosing a quick-growing kind and thinning freely. 

MARJORAM, THYME, MINT, SAGE, etc., may be increased 
by dividing the roots. 

MELONS. Sow again for fruit in July. 

MUSHROOM BEDS may be made out of doors now and are 
often quite a success, although some amateurs hesitate to start be- 
fore midsummer. The bed should be a firm ridge, about 4 feet 
high by 6 feet wide, composed of dung and loamy soil, and should 
be drained by a trench dug all round it. The spawn should be put 
into shallow holes when the bed has attained a temperature of 80°; 
it should be covered with soil and then further covered with straw 
kept in place by mats. It will take about 8 weeks to produce the 
crop, and the temperature of the bed should continue at not less than 
60° during that time. Moisture is important, but when watering be 
careful that the temperature of the water is a little above that of the 
bed. 

ONIONS. Sow the main crop now if this has not been done 
already. If the plants are up, weed the bed carefully by hand. For 

157 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Pickling Onions, sow any time up to June, sowing the seed thickly 
and leaving the plants unthinned. 

PARSLEY may be sown at almost any time, but this month is 
favourable for sowing a supply for summer and autumn. Sow 
broad-cast and thin out gradually, 

PARSNIPS. Sow finally this month. 

PEAS. Sow again for succession, choosing the tall-growing 
kinds and planting the rows a good distance apart. 

POTATOES. If the main crop was not put in last month, there 
is no time to be lost now. 

RADISHES. Sow for succession in the open ground. 

SALSIFY. Sow during this month and next, in deep drills about 
15 inches apart. The ground should have been dug and trenched, 
with manure at the bottom of the trench only. The roots will strike 
down into the manure and grow a good size. 

SPINACH may still be sown, both the usual kind and the 
Spinach-beet. 

STRAWBERRIES. Clean the old beds and give a dressing of 
decayed leaves and soot. Also a good watering if the weather be 
dry. 

TURNIPS. Sow for succession, and thin out those already 
growing. 

VEGETABLE MARROW. Sow in pots under glass, and as soon 
as the plants form a leaf pot singly and return to the frame to be 
re-established. The plants should be gradually accustomed to the 
open air and planted out about the end of May. 



MAY 

The work of May closely resembles that of April, except that the 
high pressure at which it has to be maintained should be increased 
rather than lessened. Where a crop has failed it is not too late to 
remedy matters, perhaps, but not a moment is to be lost. The heat 
of the earth is often sufficient to start seeds that a month or so earlier 
would have needed artificial heat, so that where a hot-bed is an 
impossibility, May is a month for sowing many things ordinarily set 
down for March or April. But whether in seed-sowing or trans- 
planting, great care must still be exercised, for while the sun by day 

158 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

often necessitates the shading of tender plants, frosts at night are 
by no means uncommon, and the increased variations between heat 
and cold make the month a very dangerous one to the unwary 
gardener. 

It may be safely said that during May weeding will occupy much 
of the time that might otherwise be called "leisure." The hoe 
should also be in constant use between the crops that are advancing. 
Insects must be fought against with soot and lime, and in every 
department great vigilance will be needed, as at this time of year a 
short period of neglect may ruin the effect of much previous hard 
work. 

ASPARAGUS. Shoots that are as much as 6 inches long may 
be carefully cut now; the bed should be kept free from weeds and 
the ground gently stirred now and then. It is wise also to protect 
the beds against frost, which may destroy the sticks just as they 
reach perfection. New plantations of Asparagus may still be made, 
but they will need to be well watered if the weather be dry. If seed 
is sown now it should be where it is to grow, and the plants when 
they come up must be well thinned. 

BEANS (Broad). Sow for a late crop. If the weather is very 
dry, soak before planting, and water the drills into which the Beans 
are to be placed. Pinch off the tops of the early crops if there is any 
sign of black fly about them. 

BEANS {Kidney). Sow in considerable quantity both the dwarf 
and climbing sorts. Also the small seeded White Haricots, for use 
in winter. If the weather be dry, water the drills before sowing. 

BEANS {Scarlet Runner). This useful Bean will grow in almost 
any soil and is well worth cultivation. It should be sown this month 
in open ground and must be given plenty of room. 

BEET. Sow the main crop now. Thin out the crops now 
coming up from an earlier sowing. Also sow the White or Spinach- 
beet. 

BROCCOLI. Sow for succession. Plant out from frames, etc. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Plant out now any sturdy plants to 
afford a picking in early autumn. 

CABBAGE, Sow at the end of the month some quick-growing 
sorts for use in the autumn. Plant out from the seed-beds. 

CAPSICUMS may be sown out of doors late in the month. 

159 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

CARDOONS may still be sown. 

CARROTS. Thin out the main crop. Sow now to obtain young 
Carrots in the late summer. Stir the soil frequently about those 
plants that are advancing well. 

CAULIFLOWERS. Plant out as fast as possible those which 
are ready. Water well, and as Cauhflowers pay for good living, a 
little liquid manure is often helpful to their fine growth. 

CELERY. Priclc out any seedlings that are ready, giving quite 
6 inches between the plants. When setting in trenches remember 
that plenty of manure must be used. Trenches should be about a 
foot and a half wide and quite 4 feet apart. Celery needs plenty of 
water at this season. 

CHERVIL AND PARSLEY. Thin out to 9 inches apart; the 
thinnings should be replanted at the same distance. 

CRESS. Sow in succession for salads; if it is to be eaten with 
Mustard, sow the Mustard when the Cress is just showing. 

CUCUMBERS may be grown with success now on ridges of 
manure, covered mth soil and sloping to the south. Until the 
weather is quite warm the plants must be covered with hand-lights. 
There is a special kind called Ridge-Cucumbers, that are suitable for 
outdoor culture. 

ENDIVE. Sow now and treat in the same way as Lettuce. 

HERBS. The different kinds of herbs, such as Balm, Mint, 
Marjoram and Thyme, may still be increased by slips or by the 
division of the roots. They will need well watering afterwards. 
Sweet Basil, Fennel and Dill may be sown now. 

HORSERADISH. If running to seed, pinch off the tops. 

INDIAN CORN. If the green cobs are liked as a vegetable, 
Indian corn should be sown this month on a light, rich soil. 

LETTUCE. Sow for succession where the plants are to remain. 
Transplant with care the plants that are ready. 

MELONS may still be grown in frames. The principal crop 
should be got out into the Melon pit. 

NASTURTIUMS. The seeds are very useful for pickling and 
the plants should be sown now. 

160 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

ONIONS. Use the hoe freely to keep the ground loosened in 
the Onion beds. Plant out any that are ready in rich, deeply-dug 
soil and water well. Also sow thickly for use in salad. 

PARSNIPS. Thin out to about a foot apart. 

PEAS. Sow for succession; some advise that at this time of 
year the sowing should be made in rather shallow trenches, likely to 
hold water better if the weather is very dry. Earth up and stick 
those ready for it. 

POTATOES may still be planted if wished, and will do well. 
Earth up carefully those ready. 

RADISHES. Sow for succession and water weU. 

RHUBARB may stiU be divided if not already done. 

SAVOYS. A dwarf kind, if sown now, will be found useful in 
the winter. 

SEA-KALE. Clear away the litter and fork the ground well 
between the rows. In very dry weather give one or two good 
waterings, otherwise leave until December. 

SPINACH. Sow on a north border for succession. 

TOMATOES. The plants for the open border should be hardened 
off and planted out late in this month, or early next. Tomato plants 
will need the support of sticks when they are in their final position, 
which should, if possible, be a sunny spot under a south wall. If 
grown in beds, plenty of room must be given. 

TURNIPS. Sow on fresh-dug ground and in showery weather. 
Thin out those that are up. 

VEGETABLE MARROWS. Seeds may be sown in this month 
in the open ground, but it is a better plan to have plants previously 
raised under glass to put out, when the weather is favourable, into 
rich, warm beds. Guard against frost and slugs. When the marrows 
are in readiness to be cut, remember that overgrown fruit exhausts 
the plant. 

JUNE 

This is usually a dry month, and the principal work the garden 

generally requires now is watering and weeding. Although in other 

directions the greatest activity is over for the present, there must be 

no slackness allowed either with the hoe or the watering-pot. Only 

L i6i 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

it is important to remember that too little water is sometimes worse 
than none at all, and that it is almost better to abstain altogether 
unless a good sousing can be effected. 

ASPARAGUS may be cut untU the middle or the end of the 
month, according to the district. An application of liquid manure 
wUl be found very useful now. Newly-planted beds will need 
watering. 

BEANS {Broad). Sow for the last time. 

BEANS (Kidney). Sow about the middle of the month for a 
late supply. 

BEANS [Runner). Sow any time before midsummer as these 
Beans are appreciated and wiU soon bear, continuing until a frost 
cuts them down in the autumn. 

BROCCOLI. A late sort may be sown this month. Plant out 
those ready, during showery weather if possible. 

CABBAGE. A sowing of cabbage may be made now for planting 
out when the summer crops are cleared. Put out all plants now 
ready. 

CAPSICUMS. Plant out i" a sunny spot, if possible against a 
south wall. 

CARROTS. Sow for succession until midsummer. Those that 
are up, thin to about 9 inches apart. 

CAULIFLOWERS. If transplanted now from the seed-bed 
the plants wUl need plenty of water and protection from strong 
sunshine until they are re-established. 

CELERY. Plant out towards the end of the month ; this needs 
careful doing, as it is very important not to check the growth of 
celery. 

CHICORY requires a deep, rich soil and should be grown in the 
same way as parsnips. 

CUCUMBERS may stiU be sown on ridges. 

ENDIVE. Sow broadcast this month, or in drills to be after- 
wards thinned. The thinnings ma}^ be re-set in a good light soil. 
Watering will be found necessary in dry weather. 

LEEKS. Plant out in drills, if this has not been done already, 
and water well. 

162 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

LETTUCE may still be sown on a north border. Plant out at 
every favourable opportunity. 

MELONS. Sow for a final crop, growing the plants in pots until 
room is found for them by the removal of spent plants. 

MUSHROOMS. Beds prepared now should be yielding a good 
supply in August, and many people think it useless to start a mush- 
room bed earlier. Where beds have been previously made, water 
them gently, if dry. 

ONIONS. Sow now for salad. Thin out those needing it. 

PEAS. During the early part of this month it is not too late to 
make a last sowing. 

POTATOES. Earth up, after rain if possible. 

SEA-KALE. Where there are young plants, keep them well 
watered. 

TOMATOES. If not planted out last month, do so now, against 
a warm wall if possible. 

TURNIPS. Sow a good quantity on well-prepared ground, after 
rain if possible. This crop should be very useful in the autumn. 

VEGETABLE MARROWS. If not already out, there should be 
no delay in getting them settled as early in the month as possible. 
Water well in dry weather. 

JULY 

The work this month is difficult to define and depends very 
greatly on the weather. The usual order is hot weather at the be- 
ginning of the month and a good deal of rain towards the end, but 
if the rain is only a matter of sharp showers, barely penetrating the 
earth, watering may still be needed for many crops. Care must be 
exercised to keep plants that are bearing in good condition ; to let 
a plant run to seed ruins its productiveness. It is also a mistake to 
aUow such things as Vegetable Marrows to bear very large fruit, as 
that weakens the plant. Any crops that are over, such as Peas, 
Beans, etc., should be removed with as little delay as possible, 
and the ground prepared for Winter Greens, etc. Herbs that are in 
flower should be cut for drying. Vegetable refuse, which is abundant 
at this time, should all be put in the trenches when land is being 
prepared for planting, as it forms an excellent manure. 

163 



A YEAR'S GAIlDE:NmG 

ARTICHOKES (Globe) should now be bearing well. 

ASPARAGUS. Cease cutting early this month, as late cutting 
will weaken the roots. Weed the beds and dose them with liquid 
manure. 

BEANS. Pull up any crop that is past bearing; water those 
that are now coming on. Sow a few Dwarf and Runner Beans for 
a late supply on unmanured ground. 

BEET. Thin carefully, hoeing between the plants. 

BROCCOLI. Plant out in drills 2 feet apart. 

CABBAGE. Sow thinly at the end of the month for the following 
spring and summer. An open spot should be chosen and a light 
soil is the best. The seed-bed should be shaded and watered. Take 
care to select a sort advised for sowing at this particular time, as after 
standing the winter well some kinds are apt to " boll " in the spring — 
that is, they will throw up seed stems without forming any heart. 
Cabbage sown about May should now be planted out. 

CARDOONS should now be got into the trenches as soon as 
possible. This vegetable needs plenty of manure, water and room. 

CARROTS. Sow during the month for use in winter and spring. 
Pull up any that are running to seed. Start a few in a frame to pro- 
duce a succession of young carrots. 

CAULIFLOWERS may still be sown for the late autumn. Also 
plant out any that are ready. 

CELERY. Plant out the main crop, if this has not been done, 
choosing showery weather. 

ENDIVE. Make two sowings, one at the beginning and one at 
the end of the month. 

GARLIC AND SHALLOTS may both be taken up this month 
under favourable conditions. 

LEEKS. Plant out on well-manured ground in trenches, as 
for celery. Water carefully. 

LETTUCE. Sow now, keeping the ground shaded and well 
watered. 

MUSHROOM BEDS may still be made but must be well pro- 
tected with straw and mats. 

ONIONS. Sow for autumn salads. Towards the end of the 
month some of the main crop may be ready to be pulled up. They 

164 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

should be left on the ground in the sun for a few days before being 
stored. 

PARSLEY. Sow now for winter use. 

PEAS. Clear away those that have ceased to bear. Earth up 
any that require it and stick them. A few of a dwarf sort may do 
well if sown this month. 

POTATOES. Earth up where ready. Plant quick-growing 
sorts to be dug as new potatoes later. Early varieties may be dug 
up now. 

RADISHES. Sow the turnip-rooted sorts. 

SEA-KALE. Well water the young plants. 

SPINACH. Sow the prickly-seeded Spinach to stand the winter, 
or if the ground is heavy, prepare the bed for sowing in August. 

TOMATOES. Train carefully. 

TURNIPS. Make a good sowing early in the month for autumn 
and winter use. Some advise a second sowing to follow it at the end 
of the month. Thin out the crop now coming on. 

VEGETABLE MARROWS may need to be watered, and, if so, 
the morning is the best time. 

WINTER GREENS. Plant out in weU-dug ground, and water, 
if necessary, until firmly established. 

AUGUST 

At this time of year the seasons may be said to overlap and the 
difficulty that the gardener experiences is to find room for all his 
enterprises. It becomes highly necessary to clear away all the crops 
that are over to make room for new ones later on, and where space is 
very restricted it is sometimes found necessary to sow or plant be- 
tween rows of vegetables that are soon to be removed. Some ground 
has probably been prepared last month for the crops of winter and 
spring, but not aU; this, therefore, comes into the work of August, 
and it must be remembered that the success of next year's growing 
greatly depends on the work done now. If the ground is too dry for 
the sowing of seeds it must be thoroughly soaked beforehand if it be 
impossible to wait for rain. Great care must be exercised to prevent 
the ravages of caterpillars at this time, and indeed insects and weeds 
are still to be fought during the whole month. 

165 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ARTICHOKES {Globe). As soon as the heads have been used, 
eut down the plant. 

ASPARAGUS. Keep the bed free from weeds and do not allow 
any heads to run to seed. 

BEANS [Runner). Stop these when they have reached to the 
top of the sticks. Water the roots if very dry. 

BROCCOLI. Plant out as soon as possible. Plants in good 
condition now may be further encouraged with water and liquid 
manure. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Sow early this month. 

CABBAGE. Sow two or three kinds for a full crop. It is wise 
to scatter lime on the ground to protect against insects and birds. 
Red cabbage should also be sown now, if wanted for pickling next 
season. 

CARDOONS will probably need earthing up. 

CARROTS. Sow a small quantity to stand the winter. 

CAULIFLOWERS. Sow a little seed at the beginning, middle, 
and end of this month, to form a succession. Although sown in the 
open ground the young plants will need the protection of frames or 
hand-lights later on, unless the sowing should be in a very favoured 
spot that is warm and sunny, when the plants may be left uncovered 
as long as possible. 

CELERY. CarefuUy earth up all that is ready, but take care 
to examine for slugs first. Soot or lime should remove them. 

CUCUMBERS. Stop weakly shoots. Sow for succession several 
times between now and the end of October. 

ENDIVE. Plant out all that is large enough. Sow for the 
last time. 

LETTUCE. Sow about the middle of the month for standing 
through the winter. 

ONIONS. Sow twice — at the beginning and end of the month. 
The thinnings may be used for salads. Onions that are still unripe 
should be spread out in the sun before being stored. 

PEAS. Late crops should be supported against storms, and if 
the weather is dry they wiU need to be watered weU. 

SPINACH. It is not too late to sow the prickly-seeded Spinach 
for winter use. 

i66 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

STRAWBERRY PLANTS. Select the first runners to make 
new strawberry beds, when the weather is favourable. 

TOMATOES. Gather when ripe, or if all chance of ripening 
seems improbable on account of the weather, cut the fruit and hang 
up in a light warm place. Remove all superfluous leaves and shoots 
from the plants and prevent any further onward growth. 

TURNIPS. Sow early in the month. 



SEPTEMBER 

The principal work of this month is still the clearing out of the 
crops that are done with and the preparation of the land, by digging, 
trenching and manuring, for future crops. It must not be forgotten 
•that all waste material — plentiful just now — such as Cabbage- 
stumps, Bean-stalks and other spent crops, and even weeds and lawn- 
cuttings — make the most valuable manure if allowed to ferment and 
rot on the refuse heap, although left in the garden they form the most 
painful ej^esores. To secure vegetables in the winter and early 
spring aU arrangements not already made should be finished as 
quickly as possible, while every encouragement should be given to the 
plants now coming on. It is important to keep the ground round 
them well stirred, and in some cases an occasional dose of liquid 
manure may help the plants to established health before the severe 
frosts set in. Slugs will still be beforehand if they are given the 
chance and miist be carefully looked for. The temperature is be- 
ginning to fall and rain may be abundant. However, in many yeaars 
September is a beautiful month and gives ample scope for the im- 
provement and general upkeep of the garden. 

ASPARAGUS. New plantations may still be made. 

BROCCOLI. Plant out from the beds in rows, watering the 
young plants until they are established. Sow seeds for a late spring 
crop. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS may stiU be planted for autumn use. 

CABBAGES. Continue to plant out. Prick out, when ready, 
those sown last month. 

CARDOONS should now be ready for use. 

CARROTS. Sow in a light soil in an open spot. 

167 



A YEARS GARDENING 

CAULIFLOWERS. Some of the plants sown last month should 
now be pricked out in a favoured place, where they will be sheltered 
from frost. Others may soon be removed to a frame. 

CELERY. Earth up where required and plant out any young 
plants from a summer sowing that may be ready. 

ENDIVE may still be sown. Any plants that are suitable 
should be tied up for blanching, and if there are young plants just 
ready they should be planted out and well watered. Good ground 
should be chosen for them and it should be well manured. 

LETTUCE. Plant out in sheltered spots. Sow in rich ground. 

ONIONS. Those that have not already been drawn should be 
ready now. Seed may be sown early in the month for transplanting 
in the spring. 

POTATOES. The perishing of the haulm will probably show 
that there is a crop of potatoes ripe now. They should be carefully 
dug, but allowed to lie on the ground for a few hours to dry. Cab- 
bage, Spinach, Turnips are all suitable for following Potatoes, and 
the ground, probably a large patch, will be available now. 

RADISHES. Certain kinds may now be sown for winter use — 
the black and white Turnip-radish in particular. 

SALADS may stUl be procured by sowing Mustard and Cress, 
Radishes, etc., about once a week in a sheltered border. 

SEA-KALE. Remove dead leaves, and then cover the crowns 
with ashes, or otherwise protect them. 

SPINACH. If it has not been done already, sow now for a 
winter crop. Plant out the sowing made in July or August. 

TOMATOES. Give liquid manure to plants that are bearing 
well; remove leaves that are shading the fruit, and thin the fruit if 
the plant is over-prolific. 

TURNIPS. Seed may still be sown for autumn and winter use. 
Thin out earlier sowings as they are ready. 

OCTOBER 

By the successful gardener the gardening year is felt to be be- 
ginning now, for the work required is nearly all in the nature of pre- 
paration, and time lost during this month cannot be made up for a 

i68 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

whole year. Whatever has been left undone in the way of planning, 
clearing, planting, etc., must be hastened on with as quickly as 
possible. Fallen leaves, weeds, the remains of crops, must all be 
added to the refuse heap. Slugs and snails must be destroyed, fruit 
and vegetables carefully stored, young plants protected against 
frost, and late crops carefully watched and gathered from to prolong 
their productiveness. And, above all, " next year " and its re- 
quirements must be kept constantly in mind and provided for. 

ASPARAGUS. As soon as the haulm turns yellow clear the 
beds and cover the plants with a mixture of manure and salt, finally 
covering them with soil. 

BEANS. A small crop of Beans, if sown now, may possibly be 
ready in May or June, if the winter proves a mild one. 

BROCCOLI. Loosen the soil round the plants and keep the 
beds free from weeds. 

CABBAGES. Towards the end of the month plant out all those 
that are ready in rich soil, a foot and a half apart. Even when 
established they will want careful attention in the way of hoeing 
and weeding, and watchfulness is needed to keep them from being 
eaten by caterpillars. 

CARDOONS. Earth up in dry weather. 

CARROTS. Take up now and store. Sow sparingly in a warm 
border for a possible spring crop. 

CAULIFLOWERS. Plant out any young seedlings, covering 
them with a hand-light or putting them into frames. 

CELERY. Earth up in dry weather. 

ENDIVE. Prick out any that are ready on to a warm, sheltered 
border or into a frame. Tie up any requiring it. 

LETTUCE. Treat in the same manner as suggested for Endive. 

ONIONS. It is important to weed the seed-beds carefully. 

PARSNIPS. Lift carefuUy after a frost. 

PEAS. Sow an early kind on a warm south border. 

POTATOES. Dig up any that are left in the ground and store 
for the winter. 

RADISHES sown now may be ready for eating in November or 
December. 

169 



A YEAK'S GARDENING 

SEA- KALE will probably be ready for forcing during this month 
and must be covered with pots and surrounded with manure, or 
removed to a forcing bed. 

SPINACH, Weed the beds, keeping the soil loosened. 

TOMATOES. Gather to ripen indoors. 



NOVEMBER 

As far as present crops will permit the ground should be prepared 
this month for spring sowing, especially if the soil is rather heavy. 
A very light soil should not be manured in the autumn, as with heavy 
rains the fertilizing ingredients are apt to be washed away. To lay 
the earth in ridges, exposing it to the frost's action, is in many cases 
highly beneficial; therefore this plan should be followed as much as 
possible. Beyond the preparation of the vacant spaces, the principal 
work of the month is comprised in pruning, planting and trans- 
planting, of which there will be found plenty to do. If any altera- 
tions have been planned, now will be the time for effecting them; 
but they must be done quickly, taking advantage of any favourable 
spell of weather. In the frames, seeds of such things as Lettuces, 
Radishes, etc., may be sown, and plants of many vegetables kept in 
excellent condition against the early spring. The principal thing to 
avoid will be mould, which is sure to form if the frames are kept too 
close. Water must be very carefuUy given, especially when the 
weather is frosty. For the rest, to keep the garden tidy and free 
from dead leaves will repay the trouble taken to do so. 

ARTICHOKES {Globe). Cut down and protect the crowns with 
straw or leaves, but do not exclude all light and air. 

ASPARAGUS. Clean the beds, cut down the growth, and spread 
rotten manure on the ground. This is a capital time for trenching 
the ground preparatory to making new beds in the spring. 

BEANS. On light ground and on a sheltered and sunny border 
a sowing of Beans may be made with great advantage. Later on, 
when the plants begin to appear, they must be very carefuUy pro- 
tected from frost. 

BEET. Take care to avoid waiting until frost attacks the 
Beetroots before digging them up, as they will be spoilt by it. 

170 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 

BROCCOLI. Remove all dead leaves and hoe the ground be- 
tween them. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Remove all dead leaves. 

CABBAGE. Hoe between the established plants and plant out 
for next summer's supply. 

CARDOONS. Earth up as soon as possible. 

CARROTS should be housed before any severe frost. The young 
plants should be carefully thinned. 

CAULIFLOWERS. Give them as much air as possible, remov- 
ing hand-glasses or lights whenever the weather is favourable. 

CELERY. Earth up finaUy. 

ENDIVE should be blanched in succession. 

LEEKS should now be earthed up. 

LETTUCE. The young plants should be kept free from slugs; 
it is not too late to plant out a few to stand the winter. 

PEAS. A few may stiU be sown in a light soil, but the position 
must be especially favoured. 

POTATOES. If any are still in the ground they should be 
quickly taken up and stored. In a very light soil a few may be 
planted still, but the position must be a favoured one. 

SEA-KALE. Cover the crowns with litter, having cleared away 
the old leaves. 

SPINACH should be kept carefully thinned ; it will then continue 
to grow and may be picked for eating. 

TURNIPS should have the ground hoed about them. 



DECEMBER 

In the last month of the year the operations advised for November 
hold good, and the zealous gardener must still plant and transplant 
with diligence. When it is dry enough, trenching and digging should 
be continued ; when the soil is very damp the surface should be hoed 
as often as possible to keep it loose. The birds at this time may be 
doing much damage to the young buds on fruit trees and bushes and 
should be guarded against, while the possible ravages of slugs on 
seedlings must not be forgotten; lime and soot are the recognized 

171 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

weapons with which to fight these unpleasant creatures. Where 
the drainage of the garden is defective now is a good time to remedy 
it, and the sooner it is done the better. In fact, now is the best time 
for definitely reconsidering the garden in the light of the summer's 
experience, and M^here alteration and reform are necessary or ex- 
pedient they should be executed or arranged for without delay. 

BROCCOLI should now be ready for use. 

CELERY should be covered with litter to protect it from frost. 

CHICORY may now be forced. 

CUCUMBERS. In suitable weather air should be given, but 
especial care must be taken to close the frames and cover them with 
mats at night. 

ENDIVE. Cover with litter and pots to blanch. 

LETTUCE should now be protected with hand-lights, etc., and 
when the frosts are very severe litter should further protect the 
lights. 

ONIONS. The kind known as Potato-onions may still be 
planted in light, rich soil. 

PARSNIPS if left in the ground should now be covered with 
leaves or litter. 

PEAS. A few may be sown on very light soil. 

SEA-KALE may be covered up for forcing. 



172 



AN ALPHABETICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE 

LIST OF FLOWERS 

WITH HINTS ON THEIR CULTIVATION 



ABRONIA {Sand Verbena). Half-hardy annual. Suitable for 
dry soil and for rockeries. Sow early in spring, in pots, and plant 
out. 

ABUTILON {Indian Mallow). Half-hardy greenhouse peren- 
nial. Useful for training on conservatory walls; may also be trans- 
ferred to open borders for the summer. Sow in February and March 
in pots; re-plant when about an inch high, setting well into the 
earth. The plants need plenty of water and room. 

ACiENA. Alpine and rock plants of dwarf, carpet-like growth. 
Suitable for Rock Gardens and for margins of dry borders. 

ACANTHOLIMON {Prickly Thrift). A hardy, dwarf, evergreen 
plant, good for sandy soil and in sunny situation. May be propa- 
gated by layering. 

ACANTHUS. A fairly hardy perennial, remarkable for the 
beauty of its foliage. Thrives well in shade, but requires sun to 
produce good flowers. May be raised from seed but is more easily 
increased by division of roots. 

ACHILLEA. Herbaceous perennial, of hardy habit, growing 
freely in most soils. Suitable for grouping in borders and in shrub- 
beries. Among the best are A. Ptarmica (Sneezewort) and A. 
Mgeratum (Sweet Maudlin). 

ACHIMENES. A tuberous-rooted, greenhouse perennial, some- 
times propagated by division of tubers, but more usually from seed. 
Sow in pots or pans in March or April, and while quite small transfer 
to separate pots. The seedlings require frequent watering and free 
drainage. 

173 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ACONITUM {Monkshood). A hardy, herbaceous perennial, 
growing from 3 to 5 feet in height, and producing long spikes of flowers 
— blue, white and purple. Suitable for massing in groups as a fore- 
ground to shrubberies, etc. 

ACORUS {Sweet Flag). A waterside plant easy of cultivation 
and of abundant growth in Norfolk and Suffolk, When bruised it 
gives out a pleasant smell, and on that account it was formerly used 
with rushes for strewing floors. 

ACROLINIUM. A half-hardy annual, growing about a foot 
high and producing rosy-pink or white " everlasting " flowers. 
Seeds should be sown under glass in March and the seedlings planted 
out in a warm border early in May. To preserve the flowers as 
" everlastings " they should be gathered when young. 

ACTiEA {Baneberry). A perennial of vigorous growth, from 
3 to 6 feet high, suitable for a Wild Garden, where, notwithstanding 
its somewhat coarse habit, its long spikes of white flowers and showy 
black berries may be very effective. (The berries are poisonous.) 

ADONIS {Pheasant's Eye). An easily-cultivated and beautiful 
plant, perennial or biennial, with bright scarlet or yellow flowers 
and finely-lined leaves. Thrives in sandy loam, and may be pro- 
pagated by division or by seed sown in summer. 

iETHIONEMA. A beautiful Alpine plant, easily raised from 
seed and thriving in well-drained, sandy loam. It grows as a spread- 
ing bush with pink and lilac flowers, and is admirable for trailing 
over the face of rocks in a Rock Garden. 

AFRICAN LILY. See Agapanthus. 

AGAPANTHUS {African Lily). A bulbous-rooted plant with 
graceful foliage and large heads of blossom. The blue variety 
{A . umhellatus) is the best known and most successful in this country. 
The bulbs should be stored in winter and planted out in early spring, 
when they should flower in August. They may also be grown in pots 
or massed together in tubs, in which case they should be watered 
abundantly in summer with weak liquid manure. 

AGAVE {American Aloe). A tropical-looking plant useful for 
the conservatory in winter and for placing in the garden in summer 
in tubs or vases. It comes to flower once in its life, after several 

174 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

years' growth, and its flowering stem may be from 20 to 40 feet 
high. 

AGERATUM. A half-hardy annual of easy culture and among 
the most lasting of summer bedding plants. (The word " Ageratum " 
means " not growing old.") The blossoms ma}^ be light blue, lav- 
ender, or white, and they keep their colour well throughout the 
flowering season. The plants are usually propagated by cuttings 
in a gentle heat, but they may also be raised from seed. 

AGROSTEMMA [Rose Campion). A. coronaria is a perennial, 
but more usefully treated as a biennial or annual. It is of the pink 
family, and thrives in dry and chalky soils, bearing rosy-white or 
pink flowers. A graceful plant, easily raised from seed. 

ALLIUM. There are many varieties of this plant, from the field 
garlic and the cultivated leek to the sweet-scented A . neapolitanum, 
a handsome, white-flowered species, the blossoms of which are valu- 
able for bouquets and vases. It is an early spring-flowering bulb, 
and not being very hardy it is best brought forward in a cool house, 
though it may be planted out of doors in a warm, sheltered position 
where the soil is light. A. Moly, known also as A. fiavum, is a 
hardier kind, long established in English gardens, and its iDright 
yellow flowers make fine masses of colour about Midsummer. It is 
of accommodating growth and will succeed equally well on dry 
banks or on moist ground. 

ALONSOA {Mask-flower). Generally treated as a half-hardy 
annual, but may easily be grown in the open ground from seed sown 
in spring. There are several species, of which A . Warscewiczi, with 
its compact growth and bright scarlet flowers, and A . alhiflora, with 
pure white flowers, may be mentioned. 

ALOYSIA {Sweet Verbena). Usually classed as a greenhouse 
perennial, but in our southern counties (in the Isle of Wight, for 
instance) it may be left out of doors during the winter if well pro- 
tected by a covering of straw. Of late years it seems to have lost 
favour, but it is worth cultivation if only for the fragrance of its 
leaves and the delicate tint of its foliage. 

ALSTRCEMERIA {Peruvian Lily) . With proper soil and a warm 
aspect these handsome plants may be treated as hardy perennials. 
Massed together in a suitable position they are very beautiful, every 
stem producing many flowers of varying colour-marking, and if kept 
well watered and mulched they will give no trouble in staking and 

175 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

tying, as the stems are naturally quite sturdy. As soon as the seed- 
heads appear they should be removed, or the plants may become 
exhausted, but the stems and leaves should be allowed to remain 
to assist the tubers in forming fresh crowns for the following season. 
A rich, light, well-drained soil and a wind-sheltered position are the 
chief requisites for their cultivation. They may be raised from seed, 
but it is generally wiser to obtain plants already established in 
pots. 

ALTB.MA (Hollyhock). A hardy perennial of the Mallow family, 
but more wisely treated as a biennial. Its bold and stately growth 
renders it suitable for backgrounds where large effects are required 
and where its somewhat coarse habit is not objectionable. Its main 
requirements in cultivation are deeply trenched soil, abundant 
manure and frequent watering. 

ALYSSUM. Of the many varieties of this plant A. saxatile 
(Rock Madwort or Gold Dust) is one of the most valuable. Its 
hardiness and its glorious masses of yeUow blossom coming early 
in the year have made it a well-known favourite. A. maritimum 
(Sweet Alyssum) is an annual which becomes a perennial by self- 
sowing. It bears a white flower and thrives on walls and rockeries. 

AMARANTHUS [Love-lies-bleeding, Prince's Feather). These 
are half-hardy annuals, easily raised from seed by sowing in March 
in gentle heat. There are many varieties, and all owe their beauty 
to their richly-hued foliage or their strikingly-coloured pendant 
racemes. A. caudatus (Love-lies-bleeding) is a fine example when 
well grown, and some others are stiU finer, attaining a height of from 
2 to 4 feet when cultivated in rich soil, and producing a fine effect if 
judiciously used in borders. Where the brightly-coloured pendants 
are a characteristic the plants should be placed in large pots or vases, 
in which their peculiar habit may be shown to advantage. 

AMARYLLIS. Most of the varieties of this plant, being of semi- 
tropical, bulbous growth, are suited only for the greenhouse, where 
they become very showy and effective, producing, with a little care 
and management, a succession of bloom throughout the year. A 
congenial soil is turfy loam mixed with well-rotted manure and sand. 
When first potted the bulbs need only a little water and gentle 
bottom heat, but as soon as the leaves appear an abundance of water 
should be given and a vigorous growth encouraged. They are 
sensitive to any disturbance of their roots, and therefore should be 
allowed to remain in the same pots two or three years, nourishment 

176 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

being supplied by means of top-dressing and liquid manure. At 
least one variety, the A . belladonna, known as the Belladonna Lily, 
can be grown in the open air in our southern counties, and in favour- 
able positions attains a height of from 2 to 3 feet, blooming late in 
summer with fine clusters of rose-tinted flowers. 

AMELLUS. A dwarf, hardy annual which deserves to be better 
known. It may be sown in the open air in April for flowering in 
June, and forms a pretty, compact tuft of daisy-like, purple flowers. 
White, rose, scarlet and violet varieties may be had. It is often 
listed in catalogues under Kaulfussia amelloides. 

AMERICAN ALOE. See Agave. 

AMMOBIUM {The Winged Everlasting). Classed indifferently 
as a half-hardy annual, a hardy annual and a hardy perennial. 
As a matter of fact it is a perennial on warm sandy soils, but must be 
treated as an annual or biennial on wet and heavy ground. It is 
of easy culture and may be sown in the open. It grows to a height 
of some 2 or 3 feet and bears brittle-looking white flowers with yellow 
discs. 

ANAGALIS {Pimpernel). A bright, free-growing, half-hardy 
annual, thriving well in dry and sunny positions. There are several 
varieties of various colours — blue, purple, maroon and scarlet — all 
flowering from July to September. The Bog Pimpernel {A . tenella) , 
with its slender stems and little pink flowers, is very pretty when 
grown in a hanging pot. 

ANCHUSA {Bee-plant, Cape Forget-me-not). Hardy perennials 
(though best treated, perhaps, as biennials), of the Forget-me-not 
family, and of easy culture. They should be sown in March and 
transplanted. The A . capensis is a little tender, but the A . semper- 
virens, growing some 18 inches high, with blue flowers, is hardy 
enough. 

ANDROSACE. A family of beautiful Alpine plants whose 
natural habitat is at such an elevation that for months they are 
covered in snow, from which, as soon as it melts, they emerge in 
flower. They are not suited for town culture, as their leaves are apt 
to retain dust and soot, but planted in small fissures of the Rock 
Garden, in a good depth of suitable soil, such as sandy loam, where 
they are not clogged by too much moisture, the^^ make a lovely 
addition to any collection of Alpine plants. 
M 177 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ANEMONE {Wind/lower). A hardy perennial common — but 
beautiful in all its many varieties — throughout northern and southern 
Europe, and of which our Wood Anemone and the purple Pasque- 
flower are examples. It is easily raised from seed, and many strains, 
both bulbous and herbaceous, are quoted in the seedsman's cata- 
logue, the Alpine and Apennine varieties being especiaUy delightful. 
For flowering in the following year the seed should be sown in the 
open in June or July, while from sowings made in January or 
February the plants should bloom in September or October of the 
same year. Tif^ seed should be covered very lightly with soil, as 
germination is slow, and the plants should be thinned out so as to 
stand 5 or 6 inches apart. 

ANTHEMIS {Rock Camomile). A perennial rock plant of a 
hardy and vigorous type, and of which A . Macedonica, with its com- 
pact masses of white fio^yers, is a good example. The A. tinctoria 
and A . Kitaiheli, with their large. Marguerite-like flowers, are suitable 
for the mixed border, growing freely in ordinary soil and forming 
a good supply to draw upon for cut flowers. 

ANTHERICUM [St Bruno's Lily, St Bernard's Lily) . There are 
several varieties of this family, of which these two may be classed as 
hardy perennials in this country. There are two varieties of the 
St Bruno's Lily, the one an Alpine plant throwing up snow-white 
blossoms in early summer, and the other a fine border plant, growing 
some 3 feet high and with much larger flowers. They are usually 
grown by division of roots in autumn, but may be raised from seed. 

ANTIRRHINUM {Snapdragon). These hardy perennials are 
most useful border plants, as they are easy of cultivation and thrive 
almost anjrwhere, though a free, sandy soil is that congenial to them. 
They are commonly divided into three classes — dwarf, medium and 
tall, all of which have their distinct uses in the garden. For early 
flowering the seed should be sown in heat in January or February, 
and the seedlings transplanted to the border as soon as large enough. 
They can also be treated as annuals, sowing the seed in the open in 
April and thinning out to about a foot apart. But as the Antirrhinum 
is quite hardy, the best way of all, perhaps, is to sow in drills in the 
open during summer for flowering in the following season. 

AOUILEGIA {Columbine). These are usually classed as hardy 
perennials, but the Alpine varieties are much more delicate and 
should be treated as annuals or biennials. A large variety of 
different heights and of all colours — white, blue, scarlet, yellow, 

178 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

and a mixture of these colours — may be found in any good seed 
catalogue, and the long-spurred type has been made a speciality 
by some florists. For blooming in the same autumn seeds may be 
sown in a frame in February or March, and the seedlings transplanted 
as soon as their size and the weather permit. If sown in the open in 
summer the plants should be strong enough for transplanting by the 
autumn, and should flower as early as May or June in the following 
year. With the Alpine varieties the sowing should be made early 
in spring and the seedlings pricked out into pans and sheltered in a 
cool house or a frame until August, when they may be removed to 
the selected positions. A rich, well-drained loam is the proper soil 
for them. 

ARABIS. A large family is included under this name, but the 
two varieties generally familiar are A . alhida (White Rock Cress) and 
A. alpina (Bee-flower). Both are quite hardy, and the first is de- 
servedly most popular in towns, as it will grow in any soil and pre- 
sents a mass of snow-white bloom early in spring. Seed should be 
sown in summer for flowering in the following spring. 

ARCTOTIS. Two of this species are usually included in seed 
catalogues and may be treated as half-hardy annuals — the A. 
grandis and the A. hreviscapa. Both are of easy culture and bloom 
freely in a sunny position. A . grandis bears long- stalked daisy-like 
flowers of mingled white and lilac, excellent for cutting; while the 
A. hreviscapa has an abundance of showy blossoms of a rich orange 
colour. 

ARENARIA (Sandi&ort). Under this name are included a large 
family of rock plants, of which the two most useful in the Rock 
Garden are A. montana (Mountain Sandwort) and A. halearica 
(Creeping Sandwort). The first is a free and hardy grower and bears 
large white flowers; while the latter rapidly spreads its green growth 
and pretty little white flowers over rocks and stones in any ordinary 
soil, and is excellent for the Wall Garden. Both kinds are propa- 
gated by division. 

ARGEMONE {Prickly Poppy). Although sometimes classed as 
a perennial, this plant is so susceptible to cold and wet that it should 
be treated as a half-hardy annual. Sowing should be made in a 
warm frame and the seedlings transplanted in moist weather to a 
protected border, where, in a favourable season, they will attain a 
height of about 2 feet, bearing large, poppy-like flowers — white with 
yellow stamens. 

179 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ARMERIA {Thrift, Sea-Pink). This is a hardy perennial which 
well deserves cultivation, and its pretty, grass-like cushions, covered 
with charming little flowers of pink, lilac or white, are admirable for 
the Spring Garden, or for banks, or as an edging to borders. There 
are several varieties to be had, among which the Laucheana, with 
flowers of bright pink, and the Crimson Gem may be recommended. 
Propagation is usually made by division of the plants in autumn, 
but they can be raised from seed. The miniature Alpine species, 
A . setacea, and A . juncea, are very beautiful and should be included 
in the Alpine or Rock Garden. 

ARTEMISIA {Wormwood). A half-hardy annual, with a grace- 
ful growth of fresh green fohage and pretty little yellow flowers. 
May be raised from seed sown in gentle heat. 

ARUM LILY {Lily of the Nile). See Richardia. 

ASPARAGUS. This is a greenhouse perennial very useful as 
foliage for bouquets and in table decoration. The varieties A. 
decumhens and A . sprengeri are of drooping habit, suitable for growing 
in hanging baskets. Sowings should be made in heat during February 
or March, pricking out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough. 

ASPERULA {Woodruff). The A. odorata (Sweet Woodruff) is 
a hardy perennial suitable for shrubberies or the Spring Garden, as 
it thrives in shade and blossoms into pretty tufts of small white 
flowers in May. Its dried leaves and stems are extremely fragrant 
and were of old used to lay among linen. The A. azurea setosa is a 
hardy annual of rather larger growth, flowering in April with a 
dainty sky-blue blossom. Both may be raised from seed sown in 
autumn. 

ASPIDIUM {Wood Fern). There are many hardy kinds — among 
them A. filix-mas (Male Fern) — which will thrive under trees or in 
shady parts of the garden (even in a town garden) if given plenty 
of water, and a long list may be found in any good florist's catalogue. 
The more delicate sort should be grown in leafy loam, well-drained, 
but many will succeed in any ordinary soil. 

ASPLENIUM {Spleenwort). A free-growing fern of deep green 
colour, well suited for growing in copse or on banks where it can have 
some shade from the sun. The smaller kinds are useful for the Wall 
Garden. 

i8o 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

ASTER. This is a large family, including in its varieties the 
hardy perennial Michaelmas Daisy and many named kinds of half- 
hardy annuals which have been greatly improved of recent years 
and deserve a place in every garden, as they put forth their beauty 
late in autumn, when the borders are beginning to lose their colour. 
To secure a succession of bloom there should be several sowings, 
and the first will need artificial heat. But often the best results 
are obtained by growing asters entirely in the open, in which case the 
sowing should be made in April on a well-prepared bed of rich soil 
lightened with wood ashes. The seedlings should be thinned out so 
as to give each plenty of room to grow into a sturdy plant before 
being transferred to its final quarters, and here, again, the soil should 
be dressed in readiness with well-rotted manure, while the plants 
should be assisted with weak liquid manure until they begin to 
flower. 

AUBRETIA. A free-growing hardy perennial, excellent for 
Wall and Rock gardens and sloping banks, and forming beautiful 
cushions of foliage and flowers. There are many varieties, of which 
may be named the A. purpurea, the A. deltoidea, the A. Eyrei and 
the A. Leichtlini — all charming. Aubretias are easily grown from 
cuttings, or by division, or raised from seed ; indeed, the seed will sow 
itself in the earthy chinks of a wall in autumn and bloom in the 
following February. 

AURICULA. A hardy perennial which blooms from February 
to June and is deservedly a favourite with amateur gardeners. 
It thrives well in town gardens and does not require artificial heat, 
though the protection of a frame or greenhouse is needed. It may 
be propagated by division of the roots in February or March, or may 
be sown at that season in well-drained pots. The plants need plenty 
of water, but care must be taken not to water them when the tem- 
perature is below freezing point. The Alpine varieties are well 
worthy of cultivation and quite hardy; they will flourish in the open 
throughout the winter and flower freely in the spring. 

AZALEA. Although the Chinese variety is usually considered 
a greenhouse plant, there are some kinds — such as A . indica and A . 
ledifolia — which can be grown in the open in our southern counties — 
certainly in Cornwall ; while the Ghent variety is quite hardy in the 
open, especially if suitably planted in a protecting shrubbery, and 
few shrubs flower better in partial shade. The Azalea may be 
grown from seed sown under glass in spring, potting off later into a 

i8i 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

compost of sandy peat and leaf mould and gradually hardening the 
plants in September. By December they may be settled in a warm 
place in the greenhouse, and by January should be growing freely. 
It is important to have the pots well drained, but the plant may be 
watered with weak manure water whenever dry. 

BACHELOR'S BUTTON. See Ranunculus. 

BALSAM. A half-hardy annual very useful for making pot 
plants for summer blooming in the greenhouse or for bedding-out 
plants in the border. It is easy of culture and sowings may be made 
at any time from the middle of March to the middle of May. The 
earlier sowings should be made on a hot-bed or in a frame, but in 
May the seed may be sown in the open, on a prepared bed of light, 
rich soil — moist but not wet. The seedlings should be transplanted 
as soon as the second pair of leaves appear and kept protected until 
June, when they may be turned into the open border. If sown for 
pot plants the seedlings must be transplanted from time to time as 
their growth proceeds until each has its suitably-sized pot, and some 
authorities advise that the flowers be picked off in the early stages, 
with the object of giving greater vigour to the plant, but it is question- 
able whether this is either desirable or necessary. There are many 
varieties, with colours ranging through white, yellow, rose and 
scarlet. {See also Impatiens.) 

BAMBUSA [Bamboo). These are such elegant and graceful 
plants that in all except the smallest gardens some sheltered nook 
should be found for one or two specimens. It is, of course, the grace- 
ful lines of their foliage which constitutes their chief beauty, and to 
obtain the full effect of this they should have a background of ever- 
greens, which should be so placed as to protect the bamboos from the 
north and east winds; the mild, moist-laden winds from the south 
and west they will brave without injury. Autumn mulching, 
especially when first planted, is necessary to protect the roots from 
frost and prevent evaporation in summer. 

BARTONIA. The Bartonia Aurea is that which is most in 
favour — a fine, showy plant, growing from 12 to 18 inches high, 
with a rich golden-coloured blossom. It is a hardy annual, easily 
grown in the open border by sowings made in spring. 

BEE BALM. See Monarda. 

BEGONIA. There are two varieties in general use — the tuber- 
ous and the fibrous rooted, the tuberous being the greater favourite. 

182 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

It is classed as a half-hardy perennial, and from seed sown in March 
in gentle heat good plants may be obtained early in June. The seed 
is fine and should be sown very thinly, scattered on the surface of the 
soil, not buried. Germination is slow and apt to be irregular, and as 
soon as a few seedlings are large enough they should be pricked out 
into shallow boxes and not disturbed again until planted out. The 
chief requirements of the seedlings are moderate heat, moisture and 
shade, and when planted out they should go into a rich soil, for the 
Begonia is a gross feeder. For preservation for the following season 
the tubers should be carefully lifted (the decayed stems being gently 
removed) and stored in cocoa-nut fibre or sand in a cool place, where 
frost \vill not reach them. For summer bedding the Begonia pro- 
duces a fine effect, the colours ranging from white to rose, pink, 
crimson and darkest scarlet. 

BELL FLOWER. See Campanula. 

BELLIS PERENNIS {Daisy). A hardy perennial of great 
service in the Spring Garden and deserving more general cultivation, 
as the effect when planted in large clumps is excellent. There are 
many kinds and various colours, of which the delicately-tinted Pink 
Beauty, the deep red Rob Roy, and the large-flowered White Globe 
may be mentioned. They may be grown from seed or by division 
of roots. 

BERGAMOT. See Monarda. 

BIGNONIA [Trumpet Flower). A handsome climber for the 
conservatory, producing fine scarlet or orange-coloured flowers. 
The variety known as B. radicans may be grown in the open in warm 
situations. Sow in early spring, in heat. 

BINDWEED. See Convolvulus. 

BLEEDING HEART, See Dicentra. 

BLUEBELL. See Scilla. 

BLUMENBACHIA. This may be treated as a hardy annual, 
but should be sown in spring rather than in autumn. It has showy 
flowers and good foliage, and requires a warm, hght soil. There are 
several species in cultivation. 

BOCCONIA {Plume Poppy). A perennial of vigorous growth 
and abundant flowers, well suited for planting in bold groups. It 
will thrive in any ordinary soil and may be propagated by division. 

183 



A YEARS GARDENING 

BOG ARUM. See Calla. 

BORONIA. Usually classed as a greenhouse perennial, though 
it has been^known to succeed in the open in a^moist, warm climate. 
The B. megastigma, which is the variety commonly grown, is a pro- 
fuse bloomer and of delightful fragrance. It may be raised from 
seed. 

BRACHYCOME [Swan River Daisy). Generally treated as a 
half-hardy annual, though it may be successfully raised from seed 
sown in a warm border towards the end of April or the beginning of 
May. It is a free bloomer and bears flowers of a bright blue with a 
pale centre. 

BREVOORTIA. A bulbous plant of the Lily family, sometimes 
called Crimson Satinflower, from the vivid colour of its blossoms. 
It thrives best in light soil, and to obtain the best effect should be 
planted in groups. 

BRODI^A {Calif ornian Hyacinth). A genus of beautiful 
liliaceous plants named after James Brodie, the Scottish botanist. 
It includes many varieties, all of which will endure the winter in the 
open except in unusually cold seasons, when the bulbs should be 
protected by a covering of straw. Among the best known and most 
worth cultivation are B. gra?idiflora and B. laxa. Autumn is the best 
season for planting. 

BROOM. See Cytisus. 

BROWALLIA. Half-hardy annuals which are useful either 
for decoration of the conservatory or for bedding out. The seed 
should be sown in March in the greenhouse and the seedlings pricked 
out as soon as possible, when they should be ready for transplanting 
to the open in May. There are at least three varieties, with flowers 
of violet, delicate azure blue, and white respectively. 

BULBOCODIUM {Spring Meadow Saffron). A bulb of the Lily 
tribe, one of the earliest of spring flowers and delightful for it^^ beauti- 
ful colour of purplish hue. It should have a place in every spring 
garden and may be propagated by division in summer. 

BUPHTHx'VLMUM. A free-growing, hardy perennial with fine 
yellow flowers, a most useful plant for the Wild Garden because of 
its close and vigorous growth. 

BUTTERCUP. See Ranunculus. 

184 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

CACALIA, C. coccinea, sometimes called the Tassel Flower, is 
a hardy annual with vivid scarlet blossoms, growing from 12 to 
18 inches high, and well suited for a mixed border. 

CALAMPELIS. See Eccremocarpus. 

CALANDRINIA. There are several varieties but some are not 
of much value. C. umhellata can, however, be recommended for the 
Rock Garden, where it probably will maintain itself as a perennial, 
as it thrives in light, well-drained soil. The flower is of a brilliant 
crimson colour and may be easily raised from seed sown in spring 
in a frame, the seedlings being pricked out as soon as they will bear 
it and transplanted to the open in May or June. 

CALCEOLARIA. The herbaceous Calceolaria is usually classed 
as a greenhouse perennial, but its progagation from seed will well 
repay the trouble involved, as by this means the best and newest 
varieties may be obtained. Seed should be sown in a cool house in 
May or June, in pots or pans filled with a rich, porous soil, care being 
taken to distribute it evenly, as it is very fine. It should be covered 
with a mere dusting of fine earth, and if water is required before the 
seed germinates it should be given by partially submerging the pan. 
As soon as it is possible to handle the seedlings they should be pricked 
off into other pots, and in about a month's time, when they should 
have four or five leaves each, they should be carefully transferred into 
small single pots, and by September they may be transferred into 
larger pots to abide the winter. Air, light, water and moderate heat 
are the essential requirements, and with these conditions fulfilled 
the plants will begin to have vigorous growth early in March. The 
miniature, small-flowered type is also well worth cultivation ; it has 
a daintiness of growth and character which renders it very alluring. 

CALENDULA {Garden Marigold). A familiar hardy annual of 
which there are many pleasing varieties. It will thrive in almost 
any soil and makes a showy border plant, continuing a long time in 
bloom if the withered flowers are at once removed. C. officinalis 
is the single yellow flower of the cottage garden, but the large double- 
flowered variety of deep orange colour, known as Orange Cockade 
or Prince of Orange, and the single pure white {Pluvialis) are better 
worth attention. 

CALIFORNIAN FUCHSIA. See Zauschneria. 
CALIFORNIAN HYACINTH. See Brodi^a. 
CALIFORNIAN POPPY. See Eschscholtzia. 

185 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

CALLA. A water-loving plant suitable for moist places in the 
Wild Garden, where, if allowed to trail over the ground at its own 
will, it increases rapidly in summer. It is, however, rather tender 
and may need renewing from year to year unless in a sheltered 
spot. 

CALLIOPSIS [Coreopsis). A very general favourite, comprising 
a large variety, some of which are perennials, though it is probably 
wiser to treat all as annuals. The plants are among the showiest 
of summer flowers and are quite hardy. Seed should be sown early 
in April, in the place where intended to bloom, and by successive 
sowings the flowers may be had continuously from July to October. 
Any good catalogue of seeds will supply the names of various sorts, 
but perhaps that designated Grandiflora bears the finest and largest 
flowers. 

CALLIRHOE [Poppy Mallow). This plant — really a perennial, 
but more often classed as a hardy annual — includes several varieties 
which deserve to be more generally known; such as C. pedata, bear- 
ing handsome dark crimson flowers, C. digitata, with reddish purple 
blossoms, and C. invohicrata, which is well suited for the Rock Garden 
by reason of its trailing growth. 

CALTHA. The Marsh Marigold (C. pahistris), though abundant 
as a wild flower, is of sufficient beauty to warrant its introduction 
into the Wild Garden, especially where the soil is wet, while its double 
varieties are useful in any moist border and are very effective when 
grouped in bold masses. 

CAMELLIA. Although the Camellia may be considered as 
essentially a greenhouse plant, it has been found by experience that 
it will thrive in the open in the Isle of Wight and in Cornwall, and in 
protected positions in our southern home counties. Its weakness 
consists in its inability to bear exposure to wind and in its stems and 
roots being susceptible to frost. But if its roots be protected by a 
covei;ing of litter and its stems wrapped round with a hayband, it will 
endure the ordinary frosts of our climate so long as it is sheltered 
from the full blast of the wind. Of course some varieties are more 
suitable for outdoor culture than others, among which may bfe 
mentioned Duke of Devonshire, Lady Hume's Blush, and Countess 
of Orkney. It may be raised from seed by so"vving in heat early in 
spring, the seedlings being pricked out as soon as they can be con- 
veniently handled. 

i86 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

CAMPANULA {Harebell, Canterhwy Bell). Among the Cam- 
panula may be found many beautiful Alpine plants, such as the 
Carpathian Harebell, the Mont Cenis Harebell, the Tufted Harebell 
and others, all of which are easy of cultivation and by their graceful 
growth merit a place in the Alpine Garden. The larger varieties of 
the Campanula — among which are the familiar Canterbury Bell, the 
giant white Persicifolia, the Pyramidalis (Chimney Campanula), 
and the Mirabilis — are most useful as border perennials, and though 
hardy enough to be sown in the open in summer finer specimens may 
be obtained by sowing the seed in March or April in a frame. As soon 
as these seedlings are large enough to be handled they may be pricked 
out into some shady place in the open, and if nurtured carefully and 
well watered they should be strong plants by the following October, 
when they may be transplanted to the flower border in confident 
expectation of their blooming vigorously the next year. 

CAMPION. See Lychnis. 

CANARY CREEPER. See Trop^olum. 

CANDYTUFT. 5^^ Iberis. 

CANNA [Indian Shot) . We are indebted to M. Crozy, of Lyons, 
for a new and admirable type of the Canna, which has been developed 
into numerous varieties and has become a valuable summer bedding 
plant. It is classed as a half-hardy perennial, and may easily be 
raised from seed by sowing in steady moist heat in early spring. The 
integument of the seed being tough, it is usual to soak it in tepid water 
for twenty-four hours before sowing, and it is a good plan, also, to 
slit one end of the seed to allow it to germinate more easily. With 
these little preparations germination becomes rapid — from four to 
six days — and as soon as the seedlings can be hancfied they should be 
pricked out into pots or pans and gradually hardened previous to 
planting in the open, which may be done in May or June in a well- 
prepared bed of rich, light soil. Any good seedsman's catalogue will 
supply the names of many varieties, but their very abundance makes 
it desirable to select characteristic types, as some of the named sorts 
closely resemble each other. 

CANNABIS [Indian Hemp). A hardy annual and a fine foliage 
plant — one which deserves attention from the fact that it will thrive 
in a suburban or town garden. It may be grown from seed sown in 
the open in April, but to obtain a large-sized plant it is advisable to 
sow in a frame and transplant. 

CANTERBURY BELL. See Campanula, 

187 



A YEAK'S GARDENING 

CAPE FORGET-ME-NOT. See Anchusa. 

CAPE HYACINTH. See Galtonia. 

CAPE MARIGOLD. See Dimorphotheca. 

CARNATION. See Dianthus. 

CASSIOPE. A beautiful little Alpine heather bush, eminently 
suited for the Rock or Alpine Garden. It delights in a well-drained 
peaty soil and may be propagated either by division or by peggmg 
down; but it is somewhat difficult of cultivation, as while needing 
light and moisture it must have free drainage and be shaded from 
any scorching sun. 

CASTOR-OIL PLANT. See Ricinus. 

CAT AN AN CHE {Cupid's Dart). A hardy perennial, growing 
some i8 inches to 2 feet high, and an old favourite as a border plant. 
The C. ccendea, with its bright blue flowers, is that usually grown, 
but there is a white variety and a bi-coloured blue and white. All 
may easily be raised from seed and require no special soil. 

CATCHFLY. See Silene. 

CELOSIA (Cockscomb). A plant which is very useful for green- 
house decoration by reason of its graceful plumes and feathered 
sprays of inflorescence, and in a well-protected spot it will even 
flourish in the open. Seed should be sown in heat in the spring, the 
seedlings being pricked off as soon as possible and continued in heat 
until the crowns appear. They need a good rich soil and plenty of 
water. There are several varieties of various shades — golden, 
crimson and rainbow. 

CELSIA. C. cretica, the Cretan MuUein, is a half-hardy biennial, 
but is more usefully treated as an annual. Its golden sprays of 
flowers and shining buds make it a pretty plant for the greenhouse, 
and in warm situations it will thrive in the open. 

CENTAUREA. A family which includes many familiar flowers, 
such as the Cornflower, Sweet Sultan and Golden Knapweed. While 
some of the varieties are wisely treated as annuals most of them are 
perennial and quite hardy. C. habylonica, for instance, is a hardy 
perennial, and with its silvery leaves and tall shoots of yellow flowers, 
ranging from 8 to 10 feet high, has a fine effect in a suitable position. 
It is easily raised from seed. C. Cyanus (Cornflower) is a native 
annual, sowing itself freely, and often producing the best plants in 
that way; there are many varieties of colour — white, sky-blue, rose 
and dark purple. C. moschata (Sweet Sultan) is an annual well 

188 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

known for its fragrance; it is not always easily grown, as it requires 
a calcareous soil and is very susceptible to the ravages of the green- 
fly. It should be sown in an open, sunny spot, not earlier than the 
middle of April, in the place where it is intended to flower; it does not 
like being transplanted. C. macrocephala (Golden Knapweed) is a 
sturdy plant, attaining a height of 4 feet or more, and its vigorous 
growth renders it suitable for the flower border edging a shrubbery. 
There are also other named varieties — Candidissima, with its beauti- 
ful silver foliage; Americana, bearing purple thistle-like flowers; 
and Depressa (King of the Bluebottles), with large rich blue flowers. 
All can be easily grown from seed. 

CENTAURIDIUM. C. Drummondi is a showy plant with large 
yellow flowers, growing from 18 inches to 2 feet high. It is often 
classed as a hardy annual, but is more wisely treated as half-hardy, 
in which case the seed should be sown in a frame in April and the 
seedlings planted out in May. 

CENTRANTHUS {Valerian). The Red Valerian (C. ruber) is 
a sturdy plant bearing bold clusters of dark-red flowers and blooming 
throughout the summer from June onwards. It is most useful as a 
covering for steep, stony banks where little else wfll grow. C. 
macrosiphon is a hardy annual of less vigorous growth and dwarfer 
habit, more suitable for the Rock Garden. It may be had with 
white, rose-coloured and bi-coloured flowers. 

CHEDDAR PINK. See Dianthus. 

CHEIRANTHUS {Wallflower). The Wallflower is so beloved 
of everyone and so well known in gardens of all sorts and sizes that 
little need be said as to its culture and its many varieties. It may 
not be amiss, however, to remark that the seed is often sown too 
late. May, or even April, if the weather be favourable, is none too 
early, and enables the plants to attain a sturdy growth, capable of 
withstanding the assaults of the winter, before being transplanted 
to their places in autumn in readiness for blooming in the early 
spring. If the economical practice of saving seed from one's own 
plants be adopted, the seed should be selected not only from the best 
bloom but also from the plant of the best form and habit, while it is 
well to bear in mind that, as its name implies, the Wallflower is not 
merely a border plant but flowers to perfection in the crevices of 
old walls — dwarfed, it may be, yet compact and full of blossom. 
Out of the many tints and various forms of bloom now offered in the 

189 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

seedsmen's catalogues some cannot fail to appeal to the most captious, 
and all seem worthy of cultivation. 

CHELONE. A hardy perennial of which there are several 
varieties, all making handsome plants for late summer and autumn. 
It is easy of culture and of free growth, and may be raised from seed 
or increased by division or cuttings. C. harhata, bearing long 
racemes of bright scarlet, is a good variety. 

CHENOPODIUM. The variety best known and most worth 
cultivation is C. Atriplicis, a hardy annual which may be sown in 
the open in April. It will thrive in any soil, growing to a height of 
3 feet or more, and is chiefly valuable for its foliage and beautifully- 
tinted stem. 

CHERRY-PIE. See Heliotropium. 

CHIONODOXA {Snow Glory). These bulbs are a most valuable 
acquisition for the Spring Garden or for embellishing stretches of 
grass. Hardy in growtli, abundant in increase, early in bloom 
(often appearing the iirst or second week in February), lovely in 
their starry blossoms of snowy white graduating to pale or dark blue, 
they commend themselves to all lovers of flowers. They are 
excellent for pot culture as a table decoration and may be used with 
good effect as a spring edging for borders. There are several varieties 
to be obtained, of which C. lucilice is the best known and as good as 
any. 

CHRISTMAS ROSE. See Helleborus. 

CHRYSANTHEMUM. Under this name is embraced a wide 
variety of perennials and annuals, both hardy and half-hardy, 
including the pretty little Pompons and various kinds of the Mar- 
guerite or Paris Daisy. The perennial Chrysanthemum is perfectly 
hardy, but flowering as it does in the late autumn its bloom cannot 
be obtained in perfection in the open, exposed to frost and rain. 
It seems a pity, however, to banish it from the garden on that 
account, and where an ornamental hedge is desired for the separation 
of garden areas, or to hide an obtrusive fence or wall, it is most useful. 
All the annuals, of which any seed catalogue will give a large variety, 
may be raised from seed sown in the open in February or March. 
So many named varieties of the Chrysanthemum are in cultivation, 
and the choice must depend so much on the class required, that it 
would be beyond the scope of these notes to give a detailed list, but 
to intending purchasers any good grower (Carter, of London, for 
instance) will supply, gratis, a full descriptive catalogue. 

190 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

CICHORIUM {Chicory). A plant which is much in favour on 
the Continent as an ingredient in salads, both C. endivia and C. 
intyhns being used for the purpose, but its value as a garden flower 
seems to have been overlooked. Yet C. intyhus may be introduced 
with good effect into the Wild Garden, as it grows vigorously — even 
rampantly — and throughout the summer and autumn bears hand- 
some blue flowers. The seed will succeed readily enough in any 
rough places, provided the soil be not unusually cold and heavy. 

CIMICIFUGA (Bugbane). There is one variety of this plant, 
viz., C. racemosa (often called Black-snake-root), which might well 
be used for the Wild Garden, though it carries the objection of having 
an unpleasant odour. It is of tall, handsome growth, with long and 
graceful racemes of feathery white, which produce a fine effect when 
the plants are massed together in bold groups. 

CINERARIA. A favourite plant for the greenhouse, as it 
blooms from Christmas to May and makes excellent table decoration 
either in pots or by cut flowers. The Star and Cactus varieties are 
especially useful for cutting because of the peculiar grace of their 
flowers, which preserve their freshness in water for a long time. 
Cinerarias are easily raised from seed, and various shades of colour in 
white, blue and crimson may be obtained. Their culture is by no 
means difiicult, though they are plants which are sensitive to any 
neglect. The seed should be sown from April to June, in a cool frame 
in pans of leafy mould mixed with sand or sharp road sweepings, 
and as soon as the seedlings have developed their leaves they should 
be pricked out into small pots and transferred to larger pots as they 
require it, the final potting being not later than November. It is 
advisable to keep them in a cold frame as long as the absence of frost 
permits, and even when transferred to the greenhouse they are better 
without much heat, as every endeavour should be made to render 
them as hardy as possible. The more hardy they can be made the 
less chance there is of their being attacked by the common greenhouse 
pests of mildew and green-fly, to which they seem naturaUy suscep- 
tible. Care should also be taken that the plants are not crowded to- 
gether, or thin and straggling stalks will be produced. An occasional 
watering with hquid manure as the time of bloom approaches will 
assist in preserving the leaves and give brilhancy to the colour of 
the flowers. 

CINQUEFOIL. See Potentilla. 

CISTUS {Rock Rose). A beautiful flowering shrub, and one 

191 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

which can be recommended for cultivation in a light soil and a warm 
situation, but without protection it will not endure a severe winter. 
There are several kinds, the best known of which is C. ladaniferus, 
the Gum Cistus, having leaves of a smooth and glossy upper surface 
and woolly-white underneath, with large white flowers blotched with 
red. It may be grown from seed, and in favourable situations seeds 
itself. 

CLARKIA. A well-known hardy annual, robust, easy of cul- 
ture and flowering for a long time. C. elegans is an excellent type, 
two varieties of which — Purple King and Salmon Queen — are 
especially good, and their long spikes of bloom are most useful as 
cut flowers. C. integripetala is another variety and may be had with 
either single or double flowers of both white and rose colour. Clarkia 
is much affected in its growth by the nature of the sotl; a good 
substanced sandy loam is best and a warm position is desirable. It 
makes a capital winter plant for the greenhouse and for table decora- 
tion by sowing in autumn in a cool house. 

CLEMATIS. A beautiful climbing plant seen in perfection in 
its wild state in the chalky soil of the lanes of our southern counties, 
embellishing the hedges in summer with its delicate white blossoms 
and in autumn and early winter festooning them with its long trails 
of feathery seed-pods. Truly it is aptly named Traveller's Joy and 
Virgin's Bower. It is on this original (C. vitalha) that most of the 
hybrid and more delicate varieties are grafted; but the result is not 
always satisfactory, for though a vigorous growth may be obtained 
at first, the grafted plant often quickly perishes, and the better way 
is to propagate from layers or raise from seed. There are a very 
large number of varieties, differing greatly in habit and colour, and 
as colour is so important a factor in gardens it has been used as a 
grouping for the following list of a few of the best and hardiest 
sorts. 

White. — Lanuginosa Candida, large flowers slightly tinted with 
violet, blooming in spring and again late in summer. 
Viticella alba, graceful growth of pure white flowers. 
Viticella hixurians, vigorous growth, large flowers of 

greenish tint. 
Jackmanni alba, large white flowers. 
Yellow. — Tanguiica, fine in colour, spring blooming. 

Orientalis, pale yellow, flowering in autumn. 
Pink. — Viticella rosea, small flowers of lovely rose colour. 
Duchess of Albany, fine shade of light pink flowers. 
192 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

Red. — Jackmanni rubra, rich crimson flowers. 

Kermesina, abundant small flowers of bright red. 

Countess of Onslow, crimson-purple flowers. 
Purple. — Gipsy Queen, flowers of a velvety purple. 

Jackmanni superba, fine purple flowers. 

Star of India, violet with purple markings. 

Purpurea elegans, violet-purple. 
Blue. — Victor Ceresole, large flowers of fine colour, 

Bifrons, double-coloured — light and dark blue. 

CLIANTHUS {Glory Pea). A perennial which makes an ex- 
cellent greenhouse climber; the New Zealand variety, C. puniceus, 
being that generally used — a handsome plant, bearing large clusters 
of bright crimson flowers and blooming freely throughout the summer. 
Although too tender to stand a sharp winter it is grown successfully 
in the open in a warm situation in the moist and mild climate of our 
west country, and it seems to deserve more cultivation in that way. 
C. dampieri (Sturt's Pea) is an interesting variety bearing scarlet 
and black blossoms. Seed for both varieties should be sown in early 
spring, in heat, in light, well-drained soil. 

CLINTONIA. A charming little half-hardy annual, of dwarf 
and compact habit, about 6 inches high. There are two varieties — 
pulchella and elegans — the former being the better known. It is 
often used as a pot plant for the greenhouse, but it is also effective 
as a border edging, for which its compact habit renders it very suit- 
able. For borders the seed may be sown in the open in April, 
thinning out as required, but for pot culture in the greenhouse a 
better show of bloom will be obtained by sowing a month or two 
earlier. There are three colours — white, yellow and purple. 

COBJEA [Cups and Saucers). A familiar half-hardy perennial, 
valuable as a greenhouse climber and also as an outdoor plant for 
trellis-work or verandah, as with a little protection it will not 
succumb to the ordinary winter of our climate. It is a useful plant, 
for in good soil and with liberal watering it will grow rapidly and flower 
freely during the summer. Two varieties are obtainable, the C. 
scandens, with purple bell-shaped flowers, and C. scandens alba, with 
white flowers. Seed should be sown in early spring, in gentle heat, 
and the seedlings potted off as soon as they will bear it. 

COCKSCOMB. See Celosia. 

COLCHICUM [Meadow Saffron). A family of hardy bulbs 
valuable because they bloom in late autumn when flowers are scarce. 
N 193 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

C. autumnale, the variety best known, bears clusters of pretty flowers 
standing 2 or 3 inches above the ground, and may be had in several 
colours — white, purple, reddish lilac and bi-coloured; while there 
are many other varieties, of which C. speciosum is one of the largest 
and most beautiful. Care should be taken to give them a suitable 
position where the bloom will not be splashed with earth by the 
autumn rains. A sunny, well-drained spot in the Rock Garden is 
excellent. 

COLEUS. This plant, valued for the beauty of its foliage, is 
usually classed as a greenhouse perennial, but in view of the diffi- 
culty of keeping it through the winter it is better to treat it as an 
annual and raise it from seed from year to year. Sowings should 
be made in March — in pots rather than in pans, so as to have depth 
of earth — in sandy loam with moist heat, but the seedlings must be 
watered judiciously, as they are liable to damp off. The varieties 
are not always apparent until the plants have reached a good size; 
the strongest are those which are simply green and black, but those 
with the more dehcate tints of pink and yellow are best worth atten- 
tion. The final pots should be of moderate size only — large pots 
induce free growth to the detriment of colour. 

COLLINSIA, A hardy annual, very pretty in the Spring Garden 
if sown in autumn for early flowering, and also effective as a broad 
edging to a border, where, if sown early in April, it will flower in 
June. It is quite easy of culture and may be had in several colours 
— white, blue, purple and bi-coloured. 

COLLOMIA. C. coccinea is a hardy annual, growing some 12 
or 15 inches high, which in warm soils sows its own seed and survives 
the winter. It blooms well throughout the summer and its bright 
scarlet flowers compel attention. 

COLUMBINE. See Aquilegia. 

COMMELINA. A tuberous perennial which, in light soil and 
in a warm district, is quite hardy and grows like a weed. In cold 
situations and on a wet soil it must be treated as half-hardy and the 
roots raised and stored, or protected in the ground, during the winter. 
Seed should be sown in March, in a frame, and the seedlings planted 
out in May. C. ccelestis is the best known variety, with flowers of 
brilliant blue, but there is also a white-blooming variety. 

CONVALLARIA MAJALIS [Lily-of-the-V alley). The prime 
necessity for the production of a good bed of Lilies-of-the- Valley is a 
well-manured soil, soft and loamy with plenty of sand, while a shaded 

194 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

south aspect, free from draughts, is the satisfactory position. The 
crowns should be planted in early autumn, singly and 2 or 3 inches 
apart, and the surface covered with a mulching of well-rotted manure. 
As soon as the new growth appears a weak solution of liquid manure 
should be applied occasionally, and for protection from spring frosts 
a light covering of fern litter is very useful. Of the various strains 
which are sold that called Fortin's may be confidently recommended. 
It is more robust than most and produces large flowers. 

CONVOLVULUS. The plant which is generally known by this 
name is the IpomcBa purpurea, sometimes called Convolvulus major, 
or Morning Glory. It is a half-hardy perennial and is often raised 
in heat for a greenhouse climber, but it will do well in the open if not 
sown before May. There are numerous varieties of many colours — 
white, blue, violet and crimson — and though it may be considered 
a common plant its graceful growth and brilliant bloom render it 
most valuable not only for trellises and arbours but also for tem- 
porary pyramids in the open border. 

COREOPSIS. See Calliopsis. 

CORNFLOWER. See Centaurea. 

COSMEA {Mexican Aster). A half-hardy annual useful for 
autumn flowering, as it is a prolific bloomer if not caught by an early 
frost. There are several varieties of various colours — white, pink, 
mauve and purple — and that known as Bipinnata, which may be 
had in white and purple, is one of the best. Seed should be sown in a 
frame in March and the seedlings planted out in May in a warm 
situation. (Also known as Cosmos.) 

COTONEASTER. There are several varieties of this plant, but 
that most useful is the weU-known Wall-Cotoneaster (C microphylla) , 
a small-leafed, dense-growing evergreen, blossoming in spring into 
a mass of white bloom and afterwards crowded with bright crimson 
berries, which remain a beautiful sight for many weeks unless exposed 
to a violent wind, while its close growth renders it most useful for 
hiding ugly patches of wall. The trailing kinds of the Cotoneaster, 
commonly called Rockspray, are valuable in the Rock Garden and 
are quite easy of culture and propagation. 

CRINUM. One of the best known of this family is C. capense, 
a fine bulbous plant, hardy of its kind, growing 2 or 3 feet high and 
bearing large pink blossoms. There are several varieties — white, 
purple, and striped pink-and- white. With a sheltered position, 

195 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

good soil and plenty of water in summer it well repays cultivation 
for late summer flowering. 

CROCUS. There are many species of this bulb, but only the 
hardy spring varieties which will thrive in any soil or situation are 
commonly used in our gardens. The bulbs should be planted in 
October or November (not later) some 3 inches deep, and to attain 
perfection should be grown in rich, sandy loam. To avoid the 
mischief often done by sparrows a few strands of black cotton should 
be stretched over them shortly before they begin to bloom; the 
cotton is inconspicuous among the flowers but is a terror to the birds. 
For pot culture of named varieties it is an excellent plan to grow the 
bulbs in well-drained, shallow boxes filled with rotted manure and 
leaf mould, from which they may be separately transplanted into 
the ornamental pot or basket as soon as they begin to bloom, thus 
securing a successive display of flowers in the same stage of develop- 
ment in each pot. 

CUPID'S DART. See Catananche. 

CYCLAMEN. The natural habitat of the Cyclamen is in the 
shelter of low bushes and friendly grasses, where the plants are pro- 
tected from stormy winds and biting frosts, and they thrive in a warm 
sheltered nook of the Rock Garden with a south-eastern aspect. 
Generally, however, they are treated as greenhouse perennials, for 
which they are well adapted, as the conditions under which they 
flourish best are uniform warmth, moist atmosphere with free 
circulation of air, absence of draught, abundant water with free 
drainage and shade from excessive heat. They are easily raised 
from seed, and seed-grown plants often yield a better supply of bloom 
than those grown from bulbs. Seed should be sown in October or 
early in November, in pans filled with good loam and leaf mould with 
a liberal addition of sand to ensure free drainage. The Cyclamen 
has many varieties and flowers of aU colours — white, red, crimson 
and purple— and one of the hardiest sort is the round-leaved variety 
(C. Count), which will bloom in the open in early spring if kept well 
protected with suitable litter. 

CYPRIPEDIUM {Lady's Slipper). Under this name are in- 
dicated a group of Orchids, some of which are of much beauty and 
many perfectly hardy. Probably the Mocassin flower (C. spectabile) 
is the best suited for cultivation, growing from 18 inches to 2 feet 
high with one or two large white and rose-blotched flowers on each 
stem. The English Lady's Slipper (C. calceolus) is also very good 

196 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

and is useful for the Rock Garden when given a sheltered nook in 
chalky soil. 

C YTISUS {Broom) . This beautiful flowering shrub is well worth 
cultivation and is most useful for clothing rough banks of dry or poor 
ground where many other plants would soon perish. Its rich yellow 
blossoms give a fine effect of colour, and by using plants of various 
kinds of Broom a succession of bloom may be obtained from early 
spring to late autumn. Although yellow is predominant there are 
other colours of Broom to be had, such as the White Spanish Broom 
(C. Albus), the Purple Broom (C. ptirpureus) , and the crimson-brown 
of Andre's Broom. Many kinds will grow freely from seed, even 
when scattered at random, but in that case it is well to give some 
care to the protection of the seedlings in their early growth. 

DAFFODIL. See Narcissus. 

DAHLIA. The introduction of the Single and Cactus-flowered 
varieties has considerably widened and strengthened the amateur 
gardener's interest in Dahlias, while the now prevalent custom of 
raising plants from seed has given a further incentive to cultivation. 
Seed sown in February will quickly develop into seedlings which will 
flower as early as plants grown from tubers, and apart from the interest 
in the process of raising one's own plants from seed there is always 
the probability of obtaining some unexpected novelty. The seed 
should be sown thinly in pans filled with ordinary compost and be 
covered with a light sprinkling of earth, and as soon as the seedlings 
are about an inch high they should be potted off and kept in moderate 
heat until they begin to grow vigorously, when they should be shifted 
into larger pots and gradually hardened for transfer into the open. 
Before planting in final position advantage should be taken of any 
moist and genial weather to place the pots in the open in some 
sheltered situation as a means of acclimatising the young plants, 
and the soil in which they are to be placed must be rich and good, 
for Dahlias are voracious feeders and the profusion of bloom depends 
upon their being well nourished. Dahlias are so useful as cut flowers 
and lend themselves so readily for indoor decoration that it is worth 
while to bear in mind that the early morning, while the dew is yet 
upon them, is the best time for cutting them, as, indeed, it is for all 
flowers; they maintain their freshness much longer than those cut 
later. 

DAISY. See Bellis Perennis. 

DATURA. Included in this family are several plants which are 

197 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

worthy of cultivation, and though none are hardy they are of such 
rapid growth that they succeed well when treated as half-hardy 
annuals. Among the best are D. ceratocaula, growing from 2 to 3 
feet high, with large trumpet-shaped flowers (often called Angels' 
Trumpets), coloured white and pink, or white tinged with purple, 
and giving out a delightful perfume. D. fastuosa is also very hand- 
some and comprises two varieties, one bearing comparatively small 
white blossoms and the other a " double " violet flower. D. mete- 
loides, usually known as Wright's Datura, with its spreading branches 
and large white flowers touched with mauve, should also be men- 
tioned, but its leaves emit an unpleasant smell. The culture required is 
that usual for the half-hardy annual; seed should be sown in heat in 
early spring and the seedlings duly potted off and subjected to a 
hardening treatment before being planted in the open, where, of 
course, a warm and sheltered position is desirable. 

DELPHINIUM {Larkspur). A most valuable plant for the 
garden, both for its beauty of form and fine spikes of bloom. There 
are many species, both annual and perennial, but the perennials, 
with their great range of colour and magnificent growth — from i 
foot high to 6 or 7 feet or more — are the most esteemed. Nearly 
all may be raised from seed, and this method is certainly the best 
where large masses of bloom are required — a most effective way of 
growing Delphiniums. Seed should be sown in May, the seedlings 
thinned out early and transferred to the border where they are to 
flower as soon as they will bear removal, in readiness for early bloom 
in the following summer. They will succeed in almost any soil or 
situation, but a deep friable soil, well manured, is that in which they 
thrive best. Every two or three seasons they should be raised, 
divided, and re-planted, early spring — as soon as they begin to 
renew their growth — being the most suitable time. A long con- 
tinuance of bloom may be obtained by cutting off the spikes as soon 
as they have done flowering, before the seeds are formed; or, as an 
alternative, by cutting down the entire plant immediately it has 
ceased to bloom, when, in a few weeks' time, it wiU renew its growth 
and bloom again. In the latter plan, however, it is necessary to 
give the plant a top-dressing of manure to ensure a vigorous renewal 
of growth. 

DIANTHUS. Under this name are included some of our most 
beautiful hardy flowers — the Carnation, the Pink, the Sweetwilliam 
— and many charming Alpine and Rock Garden plants. The Dianthus 
is easily raised from seed and may advantageously be treated as a 

198 



M 






;vr;5:-«t^^^ 


mamtssmt 


wi^^i^^^ ■ . ^ - '■•-. -r 


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IN A COUNTRY GARDEN. 
Grass Path bordered by Delphiniums. 




IN A COUNTRY GARDEN. 
A wild border of Foxsloves. 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

hardy annual, sowing in the open in June or July for flowering in 
the following summer. The seed should be sown in a shady spot in 
drills of finely-sifted soil, and covered very lightly, and the seedlings 
should be transferred to their final positions as soon as they will bear 
removal. The most suitable soil for the Dianthus is a sandy loam, 
and for successful flowering an open, sunshiny position is necessary. 
Even when subdivided under such headings as Common Pinks, 
Chinese Pinks, Indian Pinks, Carnations, Piccotees, Sweetwilliams, 
etc., there are many varieties under each class from which to choose, 
while those kinds best suited for the Alpine and Rock Garden embrace 
D. alpinus, D. ccesius (Cheddar Pink), D. deltoides (Maiden Pink), 
D. dentosus (Amoor Pink), D. negleUus (Glacier Pink) and D. petrceus 
(Rock Pink). 

DICENTRA [Bleeding Heart). This plant [D. spectahilis) is 
so general a favourite and so familiar to all gardeners that it requires 
no recommendation here; but it may not be amiss to suggest that 
however useful it may be in mixed borders its more fitting place is 
some sheltered nook in the Rock Garden, where its slender stalks of 
blood-red flowers could more safely display their peculiar beauty 
and the plant itself rejoice in some protection against the late frosts 
of spring. 

DIDISCUS. A pretty, half-hardy annual requiring rather 
careful treatment, but its beautiful clear-blue flowers, borne on erect 
and much-branched stems, are distinctively charming and render it 
well worth the trouble of cultivation. Seed should be sown in May 
in gentle heat and the seedlings transplanted as soon as possible into 
a warm, friable sofl, care being taken, when watering in the early 
stages, to keep them free of excessive moisture. 

DIGITALIS [Foxglove). A hardy perennial very valuable in 
borders and shrubberies, and also in the Wild Garden. The wild 
Foxglove, indigenous to this country, seldom varies in colour, but 
in the cultivated plant we have flowers of red, white, purple, rose, 
yellow and orange, while in many the throat-markings are of great 
beauty, resembling the Gloxinia. The varieties named respectively 
Grandiflora, Gloxinioides and Purpurea will probably be found the 
most useful. Any deep, moist soil is favourable to the growth of 
the Foxglove, and seed may be sown in the open in June or July for 
flowering in the following summer. 

DIMORPHOTHECA [Cape Marigold). A hardy annual with 
pretty Marguerite-like flowers of glossy orange colour, growing some 

199 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

12 or i8 inches high, a prohfic flowerer and continuing to bloom 
until cut down by frost. It is a bold, free-growing plant and will 
thrive in any good soil. 

DIPSACUS (Teasel). Although this is a coarse-growing plant 
its striking form and fine foliage render it valuable for the Wild 
Garden or wood plantations. It is easily raised from seed and may 
be treated either as an annual or a biennial, or even as a perennial, 
as it will often perpetuate itself. The finest kind is D. laciniatus, 
which grows to a height of 5 or 6 feet, and is proportionately sturdy, 
with large, deeply-cut leaves. 

DODECATHEON [American Cowslip). A beautiful hardy 
perennial, valuable for the Spring Garden or for the early-flower 
border in a cool situation. It is easily raised from seed and will 
quickly form large patches which may be divided every three or 
four years. The early spring is the best time for division, when the 
plants begin to renew their growth after their winter rest. 

DOG'S-TOOTH VIOLET. See Erythronium. 

DONDIA-EPIPACTIS. A charming little plant weU suited for 
the Rock Garden and by no means difficult of culture. It grows some 
3 or 4 inches high, and in the spring bears pretty flowers of a delicate 
yellow tint. It may be increased by division. 

DORONICUM [Leopard's Bane). A family of showy, vigorous- 
growing plants, of which D. plantagineum excelsum is generally con- 
sidered the best. Its sturdy growth and its capability of thriving 
in any soil render it most useful as a covering for rough banks or for 
the Wild Garden, where its large, bright yellow flowers of daisy-like 
form are very effective in early spring. It can be easily propagated 
by division of the roots. 

DOWNINGIA (otherwise Clintonia — which see.) 

DRACOCEPHALUM [Dragon's Head). AH this famfly is hardy 
and includes both perennials and annuals well suited for the Rock 
Garden or the mixed border. D. Ruyschianum is one of the best of 
the perennials and is a handsome plant with flowers of bright purple 
blue. Among the annuals are D. Moldavicuni and D. canariensis 
(sometimes known as Balm of Gilead), the former being esteemed 
for the fragrance of its blue flowers. Perhaps the most beautiful 
of all, however, is D. grandiflorum, of dwarf habit with fine clusters 
of vivid blue flowers, eminently suited for the Rock Garden. AU may 
be raised from seed and the perennials increased by division. 

200 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

DRYAS. Valuable little plants for the Alpine Garden, their 
natural habit of growth being to spread over the surface of limestone 
rocks. Both D. Drummondi, with its fine yellow flowers, and D. 
octofetala, with its compact tufts of white flowers, are excellent. 

DUSTY MILLER. See Senecio. 

ECCREMOCARPUS (sometimes known as Calampelis). The 
E. Scaber is a useful climber for walls and trellises, and its handsome 
racemes of orange-scarlet bloom are very effective. It is a perennial, 
but its roots should be protected during the winter. It may be raised 
from seed sown in heat, and if sown early in the spring it will be ready 
to bloom out of doors the same year. 

ECHINACEA (otherwise Rudbeckia). The E. purpurea, popu- 
larly called the Red Sunflower, is a hardy perennial with large 
flowers of a rose-purple hue often measuring some 4 inches across. 
It grows from 3 to 4 feet high and blooms freely during late summer 
and autumn. Easily raised from seed. 

ECHINOPS {Globe Thistle). A fine hardy plant, growing from 
3 to 5 feet high, and useful for making ornamental groups in the Wild 
Garden. There are several varieties, E. ritro and E. banaticus being 
very good, but perhaps the best is E. ruthenicus, with its round- 
headed flowers of beautiful blue. It is easily increased by division 
or raised from seed, and it thrives in any soil. 

ECHIUM {Viper's Bugloss). Of this family E. plantagineum, 
with its showy flowers of rich violet, is one of the handsomest, while 
E. vulgar e (our native plant), with its long racemes of blue flowers, is 
very useful. They are best treated as annuals and are easy of 
culture. Seed sown in the open in spring will flower the same year, 
while for early summer bloom sowing should be made in autumn. 

ERANTHEMUM. This plant is well suited for cultivation as 
a greenhouse perennial. There are many species, of which E. 
pulchellum with blue flowers, E. bicolor with white and red flowers, 
and E. longifolium with scarlet flowers, are the best known. 

ERANTHIS {Winter Aconite). Even before the first spring 
flowers appear Winter Aconite gladdens us with its bright yellow 
blossoms, and its beautiful shining foliage is in itself an ornament. 
It flourishes best on a warm, chalky soil, in a half- wild state on banks 
or under trees, and to gain its fuh effect it should be planted in large, 
bold patches. 

201 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ERICA {Heath). The cultivation of hardy heaths has hitherto 
been much neglected in our gardens, yet with judicious planting they 
produce a fine effect and are eminently suited for the Wild Garden. 
The Cape Heaths are especially beautiful, and the writer, when 
visiting Cape Town, was astonished and delighted at the great 
variety shown at a Wild Flower Exhibition which he attended. 
Heaths are essentially hardy and may be raised from seed or pro- 
pagated by division in autumn ; among the hardiest may be reckoned 
the Dorset Heath {E. ciliaris), the Scotch Heath {E. cinerea), which 
may be had in various colours — white, purple, rose and bi-coloured — 
and the Alpine Forest Heath {E. carnea), which is specially valuable 
as one of the first to flower. 

ERIGERON {Stenactis). This is a hardy perennial which will 
flourish in any garden soil, and its showy flowers — orange Daisies, 
as they are sometimes called — are very effective in a suitable position. 
Some of the family, however, are of a weedy growth and are best 
relegated to the Wild Garden. One of the most suitable for groups in 
borders is E. speciosus, of vigorous growth, reaching from 2 to 
2 1 feet high, and bearing a profusion of large purplish flowers with 
an orange centre ; while another is E. Macranthus, of compact habit, 
growing about i foot high and yielding an abundance of summer 
bloom. There are also some dwarf varieties, such as E. alpinum 
grandiflorum and E. Roylei, which are well suited for the Rock 
Garden. 

ERINUS. An Alpine plant which will readily make itself at 
home in the Rock Garden or on an old wall, where, if allowed to run 
wild it will soon establish itself permanently. Both the blue and the 
white flowered varieties are charming, and that called hirsutus has 
a beauty of its own, its leaves (as its name implies) being covered 
with fine down. 

ERIOGONUM. A beautiful family of Alpine plants but some- 
what difficult of cultivation. E. umbellatwn, however, wfll often 
thrive in the Rock Garden in sandy soil, when its many stems of 
bright yellow blooms present a charming appearance. 

ERITRICHIUM {Fairy Forget-me-not). An Alpine plant of 
much beauty but not very easily acclimatized to our winters. In its 
natural environment it is covered with dry snow throughout the 
winter, and in the chilly moisture of our winter it is liable to damp 
off. But by planting it in fibrous peat mixed with broken limestone, 
and protecting it from the winter rains by means of an overhanging 
ledge of slate or glass, it will thrive in the Alpine Garden. 

202 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

ERODIUM {Heron' s-bill). A plant of the Geranium family and 
a native of this country. Some of the species are well adapted for 
the Rock Garden and thrive in sunny situations in chalky or stony 
soil. The British species are E. maritimum, E. moschatum, and E. 
cicutanum, but the best suited for cultivation are E. macradenium, 
of dwarf growth, with flowers of delicate white tinged with purple, 
and E. Manescavi, a vigorous and showy plant bearing large purplish 
flowers and blooming best in a poor soil. 

ERYNGIUM {Sea Holly). A hardy perennial of thistle-like 
appearance very valuable in the garden for decorative groups in the 
border, as its handsome stems with their splendid tints and brilliant 
steel-blue flower-heads are most effective, while in many species the 
finely formed leaves are an additional beauty. Among those with ■ 
specially fine foliage are E. bromelicB folium, E. pandanifolium and 
E. Lasseauxi, all quite hardy, while E. amethystinum and E. giganteum 
may both be recommended for their brilliant colouring. All these 
are easily raised from seed sown in early spring in a cold frame, the 
seedlings being planted out as soon as possible into a well-drained 
soil. 

ERYSIMUM. The varieties under this name include perennials, 
biennials and annuals, but the hardy annual kinds are the most 
useful. They comprise many good sorts, of which E. Perofskianum, 
with its fragrant orange flowers, E. arkansanum (the Western Wall- 
flower), and E. pachycarpum, a very showy plant, are excellent 
examples. There are also Alpine varieties suitable for the Rock 
Garden, such as E. pumilum (the Fairy Wallflower) and E. rhceticum, 
the latter being the more hardy of the two. 

ERYTHRINA {Coral Tree). A useful greenhouse shrub, pro- 
ducing beautiful scarlet flowers and fine foliage. There are many 
varieties, such as Marie Belanger, Hendersoni, profusa, ruherrima, 
etc. But the Crista- galli is the most hardy, and in a warm situation 
and in a light soil it will thrive out of doors if the roots are protected 
during the winter. Most varieties may be raised from seed by 
sowing in heat in early spring and potting off in the usual manner. 

ERYTHRONIUM (Dog's-too/A Violet). A hardy liliaceous bulb 
well suited for the Spring Garden or as a spring edging to a border, 
as it is elegant in leaf and flower and of neat growth. There are 
several varieties of colour — white, purple, rose and violet. The 
bulbs should be planted in autumn, and they will thrive best in peaty 
soil in a sunny situation. They should be planted rather deep and 
will bear division every two or three years. 

203 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ESCHSCHOLTZIA {Calif ornian Poppy). A hardy annual which 
will thrive in any ordinary soil and produce a brilliant display of 
flowers. To obtain the best results the seed should be sown in August 
or September (not later), as the plants are naturally deep-rooted 
and need to get firm hold of the soil to bloom in perfection. The 
names of many varieties may be seen in any good catalogue of seeds. 

EUCHARIDIUM. A hardy annual useful for either early 
summer or autumn flowering and continuing in bloom for a long 
time. For blooming early in the following summer seed should be 
sown in autumn, and for late summer display from April to June. 
One of the best varieties is E. Breweri, of robust growth and bearing 
flowers of rich red and of some fragrance. 

EUPATORIUM. A perennial of somewhat coarse habit but 
well suited for the wild garden and for producing cut flowers for the 
autumn. E. purpureum is a splendid variety, growing from lo to 
12 feet high and bearing fine clusters of purple flowers. Other 
smaller sorts are E. altissimum and E. aromaticum, producing solid- 
looking masses of white bloom. None are fastidious as to soil. 

EUTOCA. A hardy annual which blooms freely in a sunny 
situation and makes a good display for a long time. It is a valuable 
plant for bee-keepers, as the flowers are very attractive to bees. 
There are several kinds and considerable variety of growth, varying 
from a few inches to 2 feet, with flowers of blue, purple or white. 
E. viscida is one of the larger kind, with hairy, gummy leaves and 
flowers of an intense blue. Of the smaller varieties E. Douglasii 
and E. campanularia are very good. All may be sown in the open 
in April. 

EVENING PRIMROSE. See (Enothera. 

EVERLASTING PEA. See Lathyrus. 

EVERLASTINGS. See Helichrysum. 

FERRARIA (otherwise Tigridia, or Tiger-flower). A bulbous 
plant with very showy but short-lived floM^ers, requiring a dry, 
sunny situation and lifting and storing during the winter. A rich, 
sandy loam is the soil necessary to ensure vigorous growth and fine 
blossoms, and the bulbs should be planted about the end of April, 
not lifting them for the winter until the foliage has turned yellow — 
say in November. There are many varieties, all beautiful but 
rather tender. 

204 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

FEVERFEW. See Pyrethrum. 

FORGET-ME-NOT. See Myosotis. 

FOXGLOVE. See Digitalis. 

FRANCO A {Bridal Wreath). A half-hardy perennial easy of 
cultivation in the greenhouse and hardy enough to be placed in the 
open border in a warm, sheltered position. F. ramosa, which bears 
long branching spikes of white or pink bloom, is an excellent variety 
and most useful for cut flowers. F. sonchifolia is short stemmed 
with beautiful rose-coloured flowers. From seed sown in March 
flowering plants may be expected in fifteen months. 

FRAXINELLA {Burning Bush). A well-known hardy peren- 
nial of vigorous growth (some 2 feet high) and fragrant foliage, 
forming a useful plant in the herbaceous border. It may be had 
in two colours — purplish red and white — and may easily be raised 
from seed sown in spring. 

FREESIA. A half-hardy bulbous plant with beautiful white 
or yellow flowers of delicious fragrance. It is easily raised from 
seed sown in a rich compost, but as the roots are very brittle care 
must be used in transplanting. From seed sown in February or 
March flowers may be obtained the same year, while a further sowing 
in August will supply plants for the following spring. 

FRENCH HONEYSUCKLE. See Hedysarum. 

FRITILLARIA {Fritillary) . A bulbous plant of the Lily tribe, 
one species of which — F. Meleagris, the common Fritillary or Snake's- 
head — grows wild in the moist meadows of this country (at Oxford, 
for instance). The stately member of the family is F. imperialis 
(Crown Imperial), growing from 3 to 4 feet high and bearing masses 
of bell-like flowers. There are several varieties of this species, with 
flowers ranging from pale yellow to deep orange and fine red, and the 
aurea marginafa has gold-striped foliage. Other kinds of more 
delicate beauty are F. aurea with pale yellow spotted flowers, F. 
latifolia with pendulous flowers of various shades of purple, and F. 
recurva with flowers of mixed red and yellow. All are quite hardy 
and wiU grow in almost any soil, but thrive best in good deep loam. 
The bulbs should be planted in autumn and may be increased by 
division every three or four years, lifting in autumn and re-planting 
immediately in fresh soil. 

FUCHSIA. This is generally considered a perennial of the 
half-hardy class, but in our southern and western counties — par- 

205 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

ticularly on the sea-coast — it will survive the winter in the open and 
grow into a fine bush abounding in masses of beautiful flowers. Too 
often the Fuchsia is restricted to the greenhouse, but with a little 
management it may be made a most useful plant for the garden. 
The essential point is that the plants should be kept back as much as 
possible while under glass and not permitted to break into leaf until 
they are put out of doors, which should be as early in May as the 
weather will allow. In fact their best place for the winter is in some 
dry cellar or shed, so that all their growth may be made in the open. 
There are many hardy kinds quite suitable for such treatment, 
among which may be mentioned F. coccinea, a graceful and free- 
growing plant with beautifully-veined leaves and a profusion of 
crimson flowers; F. gracilis, a distinctly graceful plant bearing its 
flowers on long slender stalks; and F. glohosa, with particularly 
globe-like flowers. It is quite easy to raise Fuchsias from seed, 
which, if sown in January or February, will produce plants ready to 
bloom in July or August. Of course such early sowing must be 
made in heat, and for the soil in which the seedlings are potted off 
a mixture of cow-dung is advised. 

FUNKIA. A plant of the Lily order, many of the species pro- 
ducing fine spikes of flowers, though chiefly valued for their beautiful 
foliage. F. Sieboldi is, perhaps, the best in this respect, growing 
sometimes as much as 3 feet high and having large heart-shaped 
leaves with flowers of lilac hue rising above. F. land folia is a 
smaller species with lance-shaped leaves and has some interesting 
varieties in albo-marginata and undulata-variegata. All thrive best 
in well-drained soil and may be increased by division in autumn. 

GAILLARDIA. Although among the varieties of this plant 
we find hardy perennials, half-hardy perennials, hardy annuals and 
half-hardy annuals, there is little doubt that the m.ost convenient 
way, as weU as the most successful, is to treat them as half-hardy 
annuals, sowing in a mild hot-bed early in March and planting out 
in May. The wonderful combination of shades of colour produced 
in the flowers of the Gaillardia — varying between gold and maroon, 
yeUow and scarlet, crimson and gold, etc. — render it a general favourite 
and most valuable for growing in bold groups, whfle as a cut flower 
it is highly decorative and lasts long. Among the many kinds which 
are good may be mentioned G. aristata and its varieties G. amblyodon 
and G. pulchella ; while in the various hybrids there are G. grandi- 
flora and grandiflora compacta, with others very similar. 

206 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

GALANTHUS {Snowdrop) . No flower is more welcome in spring 
and none more valuable for its hardiness and early bloom. It will 
flourish in almost any soil, and is equally at home in the Rock 
Garden, the Spring Garden and the Wild Garden, or naturalised in 
the turf. There are many varieties and all are beautiful. 

GALAX {Wand Plant). This is a charming little plant for the 
Rock Garden and will flourish without attention in moist, peaty soil. 
Its delicately-tinted evergreen leaf and wand-like flowers render it 
very attractive. 

GALEGA {Goafs Rue). A hardy perennial of graceful form and 
bearing fine clusters of pea-shaped flowers, very effective when 
massed in groups for the Wild Garden. It may easily be grown from 
seed and will thrive in any soil, usually attaining a height of 2 feet 
or more. Two of the best kinds are G. officinalis, with flowers of 
pinky blue, of which there is also a white variety, and G. orientalis, 
with flowers of purplish hue. 

GALTONIA {Cape Hyacinth). This flower (often catalogued 
under Hyacinthus candicans), with its fine spikes of white wax-like 
blossoms, is a valuable adjunct to the shrubbery or to a mixed border 
of tall plants such as Delphiniums, etc. It prefers a light soil, where 
it grows from 4 to 5 feet high, and flowers in late summer and 
autumn. The bulbs should be planted in November, and being 
quite hardy need not be lifted. For a succession of bloom the flower- 
spikes should be cut off as soon as they have faded. 

GARDENIA {Cape Jessamine). A useful shrub for greenhouse 
cultivation and a general favourite by reason of its pure white, highly- 
scented flowers. G. florida is the variety that goes by the name of 
Cape Jessamine, and for its successful growth it requires good heat 
and plenty of moisture. Propagation is usually made by cuttings, 
but it may be raised from seed. 

GAURA. The variety named Lindheimeri is that usually culti- 
vated and may be treated as a hardy annual. It grows from 2 to 3 
feet high and bears long, slender spikes of rose and white flowers. 

GENISTA. See Cytisus. 

GENTI ANA {Gentian) . For the Alpine and Rock Garden the 
beautiful little Gentians seem almost indispensable, and though the 
dwarf kinds, which are those most suitable for the Rock Garden, 
are less easily grown than the larger sort they need but a little care 
to establish them in healthy tufts. It should be borne in mind that 
as their natural habitat is often above the altitude where larger 

207 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

vegetation will flourish they will not tolerate any overshadowing by 
taller plants; fresh air and sunlight are essential to their welfare. 
G. verna, the Vernal Gentian, is one of the most familiar, as it is one 
of the most beautiful of Alpine flowers. It likes a soil of sandy loam 
but cannot endure much drought, and will benefit, therefore, by a 
few pieces of broken limestone being so placed as to retard evapora- 
tion. G. Bavarica, the Bavarian Gentian, with its flowers of irides- 
cent blue, is another lovely example. It demands a moist peaty 
soil — as bog-like as possible. G. acaulis and its variety alpina are 
both excellent for the Rock Garden, and the former will sometimes do 
well as a border edging. Gentians may be raised from seed by 
sowing in pans in spring and planting out. 

GERANIUM {Craneshill). The hardy Geranium which is a 
native of this country is a vigorous perennial, and some of its varieties 
are well worth cultivation in the garden. One of the best is G. 
armenum, growing from 2 to 3 feet high and flowering abundantly 
in any ordinary soil. A useful plant for the wild garden or shrubbery. 
G. ihericum, with its large, dark blossoms, and G. endressi, with its 
delicately-coloured light flowers, are also very good. Among the 
Alpine species G. cinereum and G. argentum are good varieties for 
the Rock Garden. All may be raised from seed. [See also 
Pelargonium.) 

GERBERA. A perennial recently introduced from South 
Africa, and called indiflerently the Transvaal or Scarlet Daisy, or the 
Marguerite of the Cape. In this country, except in our southern 
counties and in a warm situation, it is only half-hardy, but it seems 
weU worthy of a place in our gardens. G. Jamesoni — from which, 
however, some beautiful hybrids have been raised — is at present 
the best example and is a wonderfully handsome plant with dark- 
green leaves and large flowers, some 4 inches across, of brilliant 
scarlet, while the hybrids have flowers of more delicate colouring, 
such as pink, orange, yellow and almost white. They may be raised 
from seed. 

GERMANDER-SPEEDWELL. See Veronica. 

GESNERA. A tuberous-rooted greenhouse plant with beautiful 
spikes of pendulous flowers. The hybrids have many shades of 
colour, scarlet predominating. The Gesnera may be raised from 
seed without difficulty, and though a perennial may, with advantage, 
be treated as an annual. Seeds sown in a rich soil and in moderate 

208 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

heat will produce flowering plants in about nine months. Even 
temperature and plenty of water are essential requisites for success- 
ful growth. 

GEUM. A hardy perennial, of which there seem to be several 
named varieties of much similarity. Its brilliant scarlet flowers 
make it a showy plant, and it blooms freely, growing to a height of 
about 2 feet. It may easily be raised from seed by sowing in spring 
and transplanting in due course. There are some dwarf varieties, 
such as G. montanum and G. reptans, which are well suited for the 
Rock Garden, 

GILIA. A hardy annual and one of the most effective of its 
class. It grows from 12 to 18 inches high, and its varieties include 
flowers of many colours — blue, lavender, purple, white, and white- 
and-purple. A dwarf variety, which has been named dichotoma, 
is worthy of notice; it has fine foliage and a peculiar pearly- white 
blossom, and does not exceed 6 inches in height. For early summer 
flowering Gilia should be sown in autumn, while for late summer 
and autumn bloom the sowing should be made in April. 

GLADIOLUS. In view of the attention which has lately been 
bestowed upon Gladioli, and all that has been written upon their 
cultivation for exhibition purposes, only a few remarks as to their 
general treatment need be made here. A light, friable loam, plenti- 
fully enriched with well-rotted manure, is the requisite soil, and the 
situation chosen should be fully open to the sun but sheltered from 
wind. The best time for planting is March and April, as the bulbs 
then planted produce flowers in August and September — obviously 
the best time for their display. But if early-flowering kinds are 
desired the bulbs should be set in November, and in that case they 
must be protected from the frost by a suitable litter. At the present 
time it seems unwise to dogmatise as to the best varieties, for the 
improvements have latterly been so rapid that many kinds which 
recently held a foremost place are now being superseded, and a 
recommendation as to the best and newest varieties can always 
be obtained from seedsmen of repute. 

GLAUCIUM {Horned Poppy). One of the characteristics of this 
plant is that it will flourish on a poor soil — an undoubted recom- 
mendation when some arid bank has to be dealt with. It is of the 
Poppy family, sometimes classed as a hardy annual, but really a 
biennial, and should therefore be sown about May to provide 
vigorous plants for the following year. Much of its beauty is derived 
o 209 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

from its handsome foliage of silvery white, and G. luieum has also 
the advantage of large orange-red flowers, while another variety 
called Asia Minor bears flowers of bright scarlet. 

GLOBE THISTLE. See Echinops. 

GLOXINIA. There is little doubt that the best way of raising 
Gloxinias is from seed, as by this method not only can a fine strain 
be produced but also other new and different shades of colour, while 
a good selection can be made of plants with fine foliage, a feature 
which has now become distinctive of the Gloxinia, The best time 
for sowing is February and March, and a compost of fibrous loam is 
the most suitable soil. Seed should be sown thinly and very lightly 
covered with earth, and a daily sprinkling of water is desirable. 
Each seedling as it becomes large enough should be gently trans- 
planted into a pot, and the process followed from day to day. A 
moist heat of about 60° to 65° will produce a rapid growth, but when 
the flowers begin to appear both temperature and humidity must 
be reduced. If it be desired to store the plants for the next season 
the supply of water should be gradually restricted until the leaves 
fall off, when the bulbs should be lifted and stored in a warm place, 
covered in cocoanut fibre or peat. There is an almost endless 
variety of shades and mixture of colours in the flower of the Gloxinia, 
ranging from the self-colours of crimson, rose, purple, violet, white, 
etc., to the tipped, ringed, shaded and spotted kinds, while in the form 
of the plant we have such varieties as giant, erect, drooping, etc. 
A single packet of seed obtained from one of our first-class seedsmen 
will produce an abundant variety. 

GODETIA. Although this might rightly be placed under the 
heading of (Enothera (the Evening Primrose) it has now such an 
extended variety of its own that it is usually found in catalogues 
under the name of Godetia. It is a splendid annual, perfectly hardy, 
profuse in flowers of many distinct colours, and produces a fine effect 
when massed together in a mixed border. Seed should be sown ia 
March or April for summer flowering, or in September for early 
flowering the following year. There are many varieties in the habit 
of the plant, from the miniature of 6 inches high with its flowers of 
glowing crimson (a valuable kind for border edgings) to the tall, 
white-flowered Duchess of Albany, growing to a height of 2 feet; 
while in colour the flowers range from pure pearly white to rich dark 
red, carmine, rose and spotted white-and-red. As the taU varieties 
are of robust growth it should be borne in mind, when massing them 

210 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

together for good effect, that they must be allowed proper room for 
development. 

GOLDEN ROD. See Solidago. 

GOURD. All who have seen a good collection of Gourds can 
scarcely fail to recognize how beautiful they are in form and tint and 
texture, and considering what effective use can be made of them on 
walls and trellises, on roofs and waste-heaps, it is surprising that they 
are not more generally cultivated. The varieties are very numerous 
and most of them can be grown in this country without difficulty — ■ 
such as the Turk's Cap and its varieties, the Serpent, Hercules Club 
and the Giant's Punchbowl ; while for miniature kinds there are the 
Fig, the Hen's Egg, the Bottle, the Orange, etc. Seed should be sown 
in a frame in April or early in May, care being taken to remove the 
lights whenever the weather permits as soon as the seedlings are 
estabhshed, lest they become thin and lank, and they should be 
planted out at the first favourable opportunity. A rich, moist soil 
will set them growing fast and vigorously, but even a poor soil, if 
kept well watered, wiU suffice for their needs. 

GRAMMANTHES. A half-hardy annual of the Stonecrop 
family, and of which G. gentianoides is a useful plant for the Rock 
Garden. It grows in a compact tuft some 2 or 3 inches high, with a 
profusion of small orange-red blossom. It needs a warm, dry soil 
and makes a capital pot-plant for the greenhouse. From seed sown 
in heat early in March seedlings may be raised which may be suc- 
cessfully planted out in May. 

GRAPE HYACINTH. See Muscari. 

GYPSOPHILA. One of the best of this family is G. pani- 
culata, a hardy perennial growing some 2 to 3 feet high and forming 
a tall bush with delicate branching stems bearing a profusion of little 
white flowers. G. elegans is a hardy annual, whose graceful, feathery 
sprays of white or mauve flowers are much used in bouquets. G. 
repens is of dwarf growth, suitable for the Rock Garden, with pretty 
foliage and persistent bloom. 

HAWKWEED. See Hieracium. 

HEATHS. See Erica. 

HEDYSARUM {French Honeysuckle). A free-growing hardy 
perennial but inclined to weedy ^habit. H. coronanum, which is not 
really a perennial though it practically becomes so by self-sowing, 

211 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

is a showy plant growing some 3 feet high and bearing fine spikes of 
red or crimson or white flowers. There is also a dwarf kind — H. 
obscurum — growing about 9 or 12 inches high, a perennial with 
flowers of bright purple. Both may be raised from seed. 

HELENIUM. A hardy autumn-flowering perennial, of vigorous 
growth and thriving in any ordinary soil. H. Hoopesi, with its 
bright orange flowers, is a variety which is generally recommended, 
as it blooms early; but H. grandiceps, with its massive head of bloom, 
and H. pumilum, a dwarfer kind, are as good as any. They may be 
raised from seed. 

HELIANTHEMUM {Rock Cistus). A hardy perennial of dwarf 
evergreen character, but being compact in form and profuse in 
flower it is well suited for the Rock Garden. H. vtdgare (the common 
Sun Rose), from which several varieties of similar character have 
sprung, is probably the most useful and varies in the colour of its 
flowers from white and yellow to many shades of red. It may be 
raised from seed. 

HELIANTHUS (Sunflower). The Sunflower may bei divided 
into two classes — the perennial (sometimes called Harpalium) and 
the annual, both quite hardy. The perennials are of such vigorous 
growth and increase so rapidly that they should not be introduced 
into a small garden without consideration, but in the Wild Garden, 
and in shrubberies and woods, they may be made very effective, 
being especially valuable because of their flowering in late autumn. 
H. decapefalus, a bushy plant some 4 or 5 feet high, with abundance 
of rich yellow flowers, H. giganteus, often attaining a height of 10 
feet, and bearing large flowers of deep yellow 2 or 3 inches in diameter, 
and H. rigidus, one of the best-known and flowering very freely, are 
all good examples. Of the annual sunflower there are many varieties 
— from the miniature kinds, both single and double, with flowers of 
many shades of yellow and various forms of petals, to the tall, large- 
flowered kind with their huge heads of bloom measuring some 18 
inches across — giving abundant scope for choice. 

HELICHRYSUM [Everlastings). Although this is usually 
classed as a hardy annual it is seldom successful when so treated, 
for being late in flowering it is more often than not cut down by the 
frost before it has attained its full colour. Treated as a half-hardy 
annual, however, by sowing in pans in the autumn and protecting 
it during the winter, it may be planted out early in spring and will 
mature its flowers before being nipped by the frost. H. arenarittm, 

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LIST OF FLOWERS 

hradeatum, and macranthum are good varieties, and there are many 
colours — white, yellow, bronze, rose, crimson and scarlet. 

HELIOTROPIUM {Cherry-pie). A half-hardy perennial, but 
more wisely treated as an annual, as by sowing in heat early in March 
the seedlings will be ready for planting out at the end of May. They 
need a good dry soil, and by their delightful fragrance and delicate 
tints of colour they are rightly highly esteemed. Many new varieties 
have been introduced from time to time, such as Roi des Noirs, a 
very dark shade, Anna Turret, a beautiful light kind, and the White 
Lady, pure white; while the old-fashioned pertivianum still holds its 
own in the affections of most of us. 

HELLEBORUS {Christmas Rose). A hardy perennial of much 
value in the garden, as it flowers in the open when little else is in 
bloom. H. niger is that which has for its bloom the well-known 
flower which bears the name of Christmas Rose, beautiful in its 
waxy- white and delicate blush tint ; but we now have other varieties 
with blossoms of dark purple and ruby red, such as H. colchicus and 
H. (ibchasicus, and with foliage of marked beauty. All kinds are 
content with ordinary soil, but will do better in well-manured fibrous 
loam mixed with coarse sand, for stagnant moisture is not good for 
them. Propagation may be made by division, July being the best 
time, when the plants are in full vigour; and they may also be raised 
from seed sown under glass, the seedlings being pricked out into a 
shady border of rich soil as soon as they are large enough to bear 
moving. In the following year they may be transplanted to their 
permanent quarters, and by the third year they should bloom. 

HEMEROCALLIS {Day Lily). For fragrance and beauty com- 
bined there are few flowers which compare favourably with the Day 
Lily. Most of the varieties can be cultivated with little trouble, 
while they all grow rapidly and are easily increased by division. 
H. Dumortieri is especially valuable for being perfectly hardy and 
blooming early; H. flava (the Yellow Day Lily) is also hardy, flowers 
profusely, increases rapidly, and is highly fragrant; while H. futva 
and its many varieties, such as disticha, minor, and Kwanso (the 
Japanese Day Lily) are all well worth attention. 

HESPERIS {Rocket). The old garden favourite known as 
Rocket is H. matronalis, a hardy perennial with sweet-scented spikes 
of purple or white flowers. It blooms freely and attains a height of 
about i8 inches, but to bring it to perfection it needs a rich moist 
soil, and even then is the better for division and transplanting into 

213 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

fresh ground. Seeds should be sown in spring in a sunny situation 
and the seedlings transplanted in due course. 

HESPEROCHIRON. A pretty little plant well suited for the 
Rock Garden, thriving in ordinary soil, of dwarf habit and bearing 
well-formed, violet-tinted white flowers. 

HIBISCUS [Mallow) . For most of this tribe our climate is not 
warm enough for open-air treatment, though H. coccineus is often 
cultivated as a flowering shrub for the conservatory, where its 
brilliant scarlet bloom makes a fine display. H. africanus is, how- 
ever, fairly hardy when treated as an annual by sowing under glass 
in early spring and planting out in a warm border. It is a showy 
plant, growing about i8 inches high and bearing flowers of creamy 
yellow with purple markings. H. Trionum is also quite hardy as an 
annual and will often renew itself by self-sown seeds if the winter 
has been mild, while H. Syriacus, the well-known Rose of Sharon, 
grows vigorously in moist soils and has now many beautiful varieties, 
with flowers of every shade of colour, from white to blue, purple and 
crimson. 

HIERACIUM [Hawkweed). A hardy annual growing some 12 
to 18 inches high, with an abundance of pretty star-like flowers of 
white, yellow or red. One of its recommendations is that it will grow 
anjrwhere, but naturally it is rather weedy in character. 

HOLLYHOCK. See Alth^a. 

HONESTY. See Lunaria. 

HONEYSUCKLE. See Lonicera. 

HOUSELEEK. See Sempervivum. 

HUMEA. A half-hardy biennial with large, graceful leaves pos- 
sessing an aromatic odour, and bearing a feathery blossom of russet 
hue. It makes an elegant plant for the conservatory and its sprays 
are useful for cutting. Seed should be sown in summer (July or 
August) and potted ofl in due course for flowering the following year. 
During winter the plants should be watered with liquid manure and 
in spring transplanted into larger pots of rich soil. 

HUTCHINSIA. A pretty little rock plant well suited for the 
Alpine or Rock Garden. H. peircea is found wild on limestone rocks 
in the west of England and in Wales, and H. alpina is a still smaller 
plant, with shining leaves and clusters of white flowers. It grows 
freely in sandy soil and is easily raised from seed. 

214 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

HYACINTH (Feather, Grape, Italian, etc.). See Muscari. 

HYACINTHUS. The Hyacinth is quite hardy, and a good dis- 
play may be obtained in the open garden without any difficulty, 
unless the spring weather be unusually wet and boisterous; wind 
and rain, not frost, are the deterrents to its successful blooming. 
It will thrive in any ordinarily good soil, but a well-drained, rich 
sandy loam is what it prefers, and a cold water-logged soil is almost 
fatal to it. The bulbs for outdoor blooming should be planted early 
in the autumn with as much as 6 inches of soil to cover the crowns; 
for though a shallower planting may ensure an earlier bloom the 
flowers are stronger and fuller for deep planting. In the case of a 
severe frost occurring it is advisable to protect them with a covering 
of dry litter or half-rotten manure. After blooming the plants 
should be allowed to remain in position until the leaves have withered, 
when the bulbs may be lifted, dried in the sun for a short time, and, 
after removing the offsets, may be stored in dry sand or cocoanut 
fibre untH the xiext planting time comes round. To obtain the best 
effect from a bed of Hyacinths they should be massed close together, 
and it may be wiser to plant the bulbs at 6 inches from each other, 
and restrict the area planted, rather than attempt to fill a larger 
space by planting them farther apart. Selections of distinct colours, 
in various shades of white, red and blue, either in the single or double 
form of flower, may be obtained, and in making choice it is well to 
bear in mind that the quality of a bulb can generally be determined 
by its density — a sound and prolific bulb is both hard and heavy. 
Finally, it may be permissible to advise that the single varieties 
among Hyacinths be not neglected, as in them are retained more 
freedom and elegance than is generally found in the double kinds. 

HYACINTHUS-CANDICANS. See Galtonia. 

HYDRANGEA. A handsome flowering shrub, valuable both 
for the garden and the greenhouse. It thrives best in a warm, moist 
climate, such as may be found on our southern and western 
coasts, while in the island of Madeira it is seen to perfection. H. 
Hortensia is the common Hydrangea of the garden and embraces 
many varieties, such as acuminata, a sturdy, well-formed plant with 
blue flowers; japonica, very like acuminata but with flowers tinged 
with red; communis, with pink flowers; and stellata, with rose- 
tinted flowers turning to a greenish hue. H. paniculata should also 
be mentioned for its fine heads of white flowers, borne in dense 
panicles of about a foot long and remaining in bloom for a long time. 

215 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

HYPERICUM {St John's Wort). A low-growing, traHing shrub 
which is often valuable for covering wild banks or the borders of 
shrubberies. H. calycinum (the Rose of Sharon) is one of the most 
useful varieties, as it will thrive in shade even when subjected 
to the drip of trees. H. Moserianum is a handsome hybrid, bearing 
large yellow flowers rich in colour and substance ; while for the Rock 
Garden H. olympicum, a low-growing variety, with bright yellow 
flowers some 2 inches across, will be found useful, to which may be 
added H. mummularium and humifusum. 

IBERIS [Candytuft). Either as a perennial or an annual, in 
the Rock Garden or the mixed border, this plant is well worth cultiva- 
tion. Most of the varieties are quite hardy, thrive in any soil, and 
may easily be raised from seed. Among the perennials /, correce- 
folia is excellent, bearing fine heads of large white flowers; /. 
Gibraltarica is a beautiful plant with flowers of delicate lilac, but its 
hardiness is doubtful ; while /. petrcea is an Alpine species, its clusters 
of white flowers relieved by a tinge of red in the centre. The annuals 
are represented by /. umbellata and its varieties nana rosea and nana 
alba, in which there are many colours — white, crimson, lilac and 
purple. All are quite hardy and are therefore best sown in late 
summer for early flowering in the following year; with a good soil 
and plenty of room for development they can scarcely fail to succeed. 

IMPATIENS {see also under Balsam) . In addition to the half- 
hardy Garden Balsam there is the hardy annual which may often be 
seen in cottage gardens, renewing itself from year to year by seed 
self-sown. It is a sturdy plant, attaining a height of 4 or 5 feet, and 
is apt to intrude itself where not wanted, but in the Wild Garden it is 
very welcome. /. glandtdifera and longicornu are two good kinds, 
abundant in flowers varying in colour from white to rose. ■ 

INCARVILLEA {Trumpet Flower). A handsome perennial 
with large Gloxinia-like flowers, trumpet-shaped and borne on long 
stems. The plants are large-rooted and require deep, rich, well- 
drained soil. /. Delavayi is an exceUent variety and is quite hardy 
in any but very cold and wet situations. It is of vigorous growth, 
with large, dark-green, fleshy leaves some 18 inches long, and with 
fine flowers of crimson-purple veined with yeUow. /. grandiflora is 
another variety — a smaUer plant with shorter leaves but larger 
flowers of beautiful carmine colour, relieved by blotches of white 
in the throat. Both varieties may be raised from seed without 
difficulty, the first flowering in the second year from sowing but the 
latter needing three, or even four, years of growth before blooming. 

216 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

INDIAN HEMP. See Cannabis. 

INDIAN MALLOW. See Abutilon. 

INDIAN POPPY. See Meconopsis. 

INDIAN SHOT. See Canna. 

INULA. A hardy perennial easily raised from seed but not of 
much value as a border plant, though well suited for covering rough 
banks and for patches in the Wild Garden. /. glandulosa, bearing 
fine yellow flowers 4 to 5 inches in diameter, is the usual variety, 
but there are other kinds, such as royleana and grandiflora, which 
are as good or better. 

lONOPSIDIUM {Violet Cress). For the Rock Garden 7. acaule 
is a charming little plant. It is quite hardy, dwarf in its growth 
(about 2 inches high), and although classed as an annual its pretty 
tufts of lilac-coloured flowers spring up year by year from self-sown 
seed. It seems as if it would grow an5rwhere, and yet is always 
careful not to intrude upon its neighbours. 

IPOMiEA. See Convolvulus. 

IRIS. This plant may be divided into two groups, the bulbous 
and the non-bulbous {rhizomatous) . Among the latter is /. Germanica, 
the Flag or German Iris, which in its many varieties will flourish in 
almost any soil, and of which the following are good examples: 
Black Prince, with large, fragrant flowers of light and dark purple 
and yellow markings; Mme. Chereau, having white flowers tinged 
with soft blue ; and Pallida dalmatica, a fine variety, with tall stems 
of delicate blue flowers and splendid foliage. The bulbous kind are 
well represented by /. xiphioides, the English Flag, and by /. xiphium, 
the Spanish Iris. Both of these are handsome plants, the English 
Iris having many varieties of colour — white, lavender, blue, purple 
and striped; while the Spanish Iris includes white, blue, yellow and 
striped. They like a light, well-drained soil and a warm, sheltered 
situation, but plenty of sunlight is their chief desideratum, while 
their next is that they shall not be disturbed. These are also re- 
quisites for the choicer sorts of bulbs, such as /. reticulata, I. alata, 
and /. persica, all of which are valuable examples, especially /. 
reticulata, which produces a wealth of fragrant flowers most useful 
for cutting. 

ISOPYRUM. The variety called thalictroides is a pretty little 
white-flowered plant with beautiful fern-like foliage, valuable for 

217 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

the Rock Garden. It is easily grown from seed and will thrive in 
any soil. 

IXIA. This is a bulb which is weU worth cultivating either in 
the greenhouse or the open garden, for though the plants are a little 
tender they will often make a good display in a warm, wall-backed 
border of southern aspect. For early flowering the bulbs should be 
planted in September or the beginning of October, in a light, well- 
drained soil, and some protection from the frost, such as a covering 
of bracken-litter, should be given as soon as the new growth appears. 
There are several species — craferoides, ochroleuca, speciosa, viridiflora, 
etc.; and viridiflora should certainly not be overlooked, as its 
flowers are of a wonderful metallic green — very unusual. 

JACOBEA. See Senecio. 

JACOB'S LADDER. See Polemonium. 

JASIONE. The variety called humilis is a pretty little creeping 
plant weU suited for the Rock Garden and bearing tufts of bell-like 
blue flowers. It is a perennial, but often needs a little protection 
in winter, and should be accorded a sheltered, well-drained spot. 
/. montana is a hardy annual variety, and both are best raised from 
seed. 

JASMINUM. There are three kinds of Jasmine which will be 
found useful plants — /. officinale (White Jasmine), /. nudiflorum 
(Winter Jasmine), and /. fruticans (Shrubby Jasmine). The first 
is an old inhabitant of our gardens, and though a native of India is 
quite hardy and will thrive even in towns on a warm, sandy soil. 
Being a rapid grower, it makes one of the best of climbing plants, and 
its sweet-scented white flowers are delightful. The Winter Jasmine 
is also perfectly hardy, and against a good background, such as Ivy, 
its fragrant yellow flowers appearing in winter on its leafless stems 
are very charming. /. fruticans is a compact evergreen shrub 
bearing an abundance of small yellow flowers which later give place 
to round black berries. 

JONQUIL. 5eg Narcissus. 

KAULFUSSIA. See Amellus. 

KNIPHOFIA {Torch- flower). The brilliant colouring of the 
scape of this flower poised upon its upright stem makes its colloquial 
name of Torch-plant or Flame-flower very appropriate. K. aloides, 
or Tritoma Uvaria as it is sometimes caUed, is the kind which so often 
forms a glory in the cottage garden ; it is a noble plant for the border 

218 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

and will thrive in any soil, flowering late in summer and lasting for 
many weeks. A long-continued frost is dangerous to it, but a cover- 
ing of dry litter over the crowns will generally preserve it, even in a 
hard winter. Some beautiful hybrids have recently been raised in 
which the predominating colour is yellow, ranging from that to 
orange and scarlet. Among them is the Obelisk, vigorous and broad- 
leaved, with spikes of pure golden yellow; the Ophir, orange-yellow 
and blooming freely; and the Matador, with unusually large spikes 
of deep red. 

LACHENALIA. These bulbs are very useful for greenhouse 
decoration and may be made most effective by planting them on 
the outside of hanging baskets, where their flower-spikes will grow 
upwards and their leaves hang down. They do well in a peaty soil 
if kept thoroughly moist, and will flourish in a cold house so long as 
the frost is not allowed to intrude, 

LADY'S SLIPPER. See Cypripedium. 

LANTANA. A half-hardy perennial which is useful as a summer 
bedding plant, bearing heads of bloom something like the Verbena, 
but smaller. The flowers are of many colours — ^white, yellow, 
orange and crimson — and the plants bloom freely throughout the 
summer. Though they cannot be raised in the open they are easily 
propagated in the greenhouse, either from seed or cuttings, in the 
early spring. There are many named varieties, and among the best 
are Don Calmet, Eclat, La Neige and Ne Plus Ultra. 

LARKSPUR. See Delphinium. 

LASTHENIA. A hardy annual which may be used to good 
effect if sown in compact patches and afterwards thinned out. 
Autumn sowing is the best, as it then blooms early the next year. 
The two varieties, L. California and L. glahrata, are both good, the 
first being of dwarf habit, growing about 6 inches high with bright 
yellow flowers, and the latter being from 9 to 12 inches high with 
rich orange-yeUow bloom. 

LATHYRUS {Everlasting Pea). This perennial is valuable as 
a climber, being vigorous in growth and abundant in long-lasting 
bloom, while its long succulent roots will provide themselves with 
nourishment for years without requiring attention. The gardener's 
care should be to let the plants grow freely and naturally, and an 
excellent effect may be obtained by allowing them to trail on a rough 
bank, untrained in any way. L. latifolius is one of the hardiest of 

219 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

the tribe and seems able to thrive anywhere, and its white variety, 
L. latifolius alhus, is a beautiful specimen. L. Sihthorpi, with its 
reddish-purple flowers, is valuable for its early blooming, while L. 
grandiflorus is a double-flowered kind, bearing large, handsome 
blossoms of rosy-purple. L. rotundifolius, with round-shaped 
leaves (as its name indicates) and fine clusters of rose-pink flowers 
opening early in June, is also excellent. 

LATHYRUS-ODORATUS {Sweet Pea). There is little wonder 
that the Sweet Pea is such a universal favourite — its hardiness, its 
long-continued and prolific bloom, its manifold beauties in colour 
and form, and the readiness with which it lends itself to indoor decora- 
tion as a cut flower all combine to make it pre-eminent among 
annuals. Its culture requires no special knowledge, no unusual 
soil; it seems ever ready to do its best anjrwhere and under any 
circumstances — even in a prolonged drought. An ordinary garden 
soil, well dug in the autumn and enriched with a fair amount of 
manure, a little forking and pulverising of the ground in the spring, 
is all the preparation needed for sowing, and with some protection 
against slugs and snails and birds a bounteous crop may be relied 
upon ; while to maintain a continuance of bloom it is only necessary 
(but this is imperative) to cut the flowers day by day and never 
permit a single seed-pod to be formed. As to the best arrangement 
in sowing, opinions vary; some advise clumps of three or four plants, 
others favour a row, and certainly a hedge of Sweet Peas is an 
attractive sight. But whatever the form adopted it is important 
to provide the young plants at an early stage with well-branched 
sticks of good height — say, 6 to 8 feet. For obtaining early bloom 
the practice of sowing in late autumn is often adopted, but its success 
is largely dependent upon the severity of the winter, and a more 
certain plan is to sow indoors about the middle of February, gradu- 
ally hardening the young seedlings and planting them out as early in 
April as the weather permits. 

LEIOPHYLLUM. For the Rock Garden L. huxijolium is very 
useful. It is a dainty little shrub from 4 to 6 inches high, with deep- 
green leaves and clusters of small white flowers which as unopened 
buds are of a delicate pink hue. It likes a peaty soil and is not 
afraid of drought. 

LEONTOPODIUM. L. {Gnaphalium) alpinum is the well-known 
Edelweiss, a pretty little Alpine plant with furry leaves and flowers of 
pale yellow encrusted with a white, woolly substance. It thrives 

220 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

well in a sandy soil in the Alpine Garden, but will not bear crowding 
or overshadowing. 

LEOPARD'S BANE. See Doronicum. 

LEPTOSIPHON. A hardy annual which is well worth cultiva- 
tion, and of which there are some pretty dwarf varieties suitable for 
the Rock Garden. Thin sowing in light soil and in the early autumn 
is advisable for obtaining robust plants of sufficient size to endure 
the winter; spring sowing is not likely to succeed so well. L. 
roseus is a charming little plant with dense tufts of rosy-pink flowers, 
and there are several beautiful hybrids of various shades of colour. 
The larger kinds, such as L. densiflorus (both blue and white) and 
L. androsaceus (lilac), are quite attractive. 

LEPTOSYNE. A useful plant for the mixed border and bearing 
some resemblance to the Coreopsis. L. Stillmanni is a showy 
example with bright golden-yellow flowers, blooming abundantly. 
It is classed in some catalogues as a hardy annual, but in common 
with other varieties of the Leptosyne it is more wisely treated as a 
half-hardy annual by sowing in heat early in spring and transplanting 
into the open in May. L. Douglasi is similar to L. Stillmanni, but is 
a smaller plant (about i foot high) with flowers rather larger, while 
L. maritima (a perennial, but best treated as a half-hardy annual) 
is still smaller — about 6 inches — and also bears bright yellow flowers. 

LEUCOJUM. The most useful variety is L. cestivum, sometimes 
called Summer Snowflake, a vigorous plant with clusters of white 
flowers, delicately tipped with green, gracefully hanging on stalks 
from 12 to i8 inches high. It blooms in early summer or late spring 
and wfll thrive in ordinary soil. As its bulbs increase rapidly it is 
easily propagated by division, but its flowers are certainly most 
effective when allowed to remain in dense groups. Another variety 
is L. vernum (Spring Snowflake), of dwarf growth, about 6 inches 
high, well suited for the Rock Garden and flowering early, but slow in 
establishing itself, though once it has taken good root it flowers 
freely. 

LEWISIA. A crevice in the Rock Garden with some gravelly 
soil where its succulent roots can obtain moisture is just the place for 
L. rediviva, an interesting little plant only an inch or so high with 
large flowers varying from white to deep rose. Its moisture-retain- 
ing roots enable it to revive (as its name indicates) when apparently 
dead, and if, after flowering, it looks like a mere withered mass it 

221 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

should not be thrown away. It needs plenty of sunshine to bring 
its blossoms out properly, and its crown should be kept dry though 
its roots love moisture. 

LIATRIS. A perennial which may be considered hardy and 
which becomes very effective under good cultivation. L. elegans, 
when grown in rich light soil, will attain a height of about 2 feet and 
bear large spikes of flower a foot or more in length, of a delicate lilac 
or pale purple colour; while L. spicata, a somewhat smaller plant, 
has beautiful spikes of a carmine tint and preserves its bloom for 
a long time. L. pycnostachya is the tallest of its tribe, growing as 
much as 4 feet high, and bears handsome flower-spikes of deep purple. 
All may be raised from seed sown in spring or propagated by division. 

LILIUM. All Lilies are beautiful but all are not adapted to the 
same kind of culture, and among the manifold varieties it must 
suffice for these notes to mention a few names representative of both 
outdoor and indoor culture. As a stately and graceful inhabitant 
of the garden none is better than L. candidum, the Madonna Lily of 
the cottage garden, where its snow-white blooms and exuberant 
foliage may often be seen to perfection. Capricious it may be in 
finding a spot to its liking, but when once established it requires 
no attention beyond an occasional mulching of ordinary manure, 
and it thrives best when left undisturbed, as many an old garden can 
testify. The nature of the soil in which it is placed seems of second- 
ary importance so long as it has a sunny aspect and is sheltered from 
the wind. Other kinds which will do well in the garden and will 
thrive in ordinary soil are the Bulhiferum, about 2 feet high, with 
flowers of orange-red; Chalcedonicum (Scarlet Turk's Cap), about 
3 feet high; Testaceum, some 5 feet high, with buff-coloured flowers; 
Humholdti, also about 5 feet high, with flowers of pinky-yellow spotted 
with dark red; and the well-known Tiger Lily, especially its variety 
called Splendens, which is of fine growth, often 7 feet high, and bears 
magnificent flowers, though blooming rather late. Among those that 
are suited for indoor culture in pots are Wallichianum, Lowi 
primulinum, Auratum and Longiflorum. For soil, good turfy loam 
mixed with sand (sea-sand, if possible, as it retains moisture) make 
an excellent compost, and the bulbs should be planted in pots about 
two and a half times their diameter, and covered with some 2 inches 
of soil. They may be left in a cold frame until well rooted, but when 
brought into the house they should be carefully watered, for to allow 
a full-rooted pot to get dry would seriously endanger the plant. 

222 




IN A SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
Madonna I.ilies. 




IN A SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
Euphrosyne Rose over Arbour. 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

After flowering the pots should be placed outside in a shady border 
until the foliage has quite died down, when the bulbs may be stored 
for the winter in a dry outhouse. 

LILY OF THE VALLEY. See Convallaria Majalis. 

LIMNANTHES. For a vigorous hardy annual, able to take 
care of itself and thrive in a poor soil, there is none better than L. 
Douglasi. It is of dwarf habit, only about 3 or 4 inches high, and if 
sown in autumn brings forth its white and yellow flowers (or pure 
white, if that variety be chosen) early in May, while it is delightfully 
fragrant and is a fine bee-plant. For summer flowering, seed should 
be sown in spring; in light soils it will generally sow itself and practi- 
cally become a perennial. 

LINARIA {Toad-flax). A hardy family which includes both 
annuals and perennials, varying from little Alpine plants of a few 
inches high to taU plants like giant Lobelias. Of the dwarf kinds 
L. alpina and L. antirrhinifolia are both very good. The alpina 
forms charming silvery tufts of foliage, with dark blue and deep 
orange flowers, and, by sowing itself, often becomes a perennial in 
the crevices of the Rock Garden. The antirrhinifolia does not spread 
so rapidly, but is prolific in a constant succession of bright purple 
flowers, and is also a charming plant for the Rock Garden. L. 
cymhalaria is that pretty little plant known by the name of Mother 
of Thousands, which may often be seen growing in dense and graceful 
pendants from the top of an old wall or falling all over its pot in a 
cottage window, and bearing a profusion of white or lilac flowers. 
L. dalmatica is a hardy perennial, a handsome, well-branched plant 
of 3 to 4 feet high, bearing large flowers of sulphur-yeUow or orange 
colour. 

LINUM [Flax). A family which includes several useful plants 
for the garden, some of them being perennial but better treated as 
annuals. L. grandiflorum is both hardy and showy, and by sowing 
in autumn as well as spring a succession of bloom may be had 
throughout the summer; there are two varieties, one with deep 
scarlet and the other with bright rose flowers. L. narbonnense is 
also very good and gives a copious supply of large light blue flowers, 
beautifully veined, if the plant is well nourished in a light soil. L. 
flavum is a smaller but hardy plant with flowers of a peculiarly soft 
hue of yellow. 

LITHOSPERMUM. Of the many varieties of this famfly there 
is but one which is of much value for^the garden,^viz., L. prostratum. 

223' 



A YEAK'S GARDENING 

It is a pretty little evergreen, low-growing (as its name indicates) 
shrub, bearing a profusion of flowers of intense blue, delicately 
striped, and on a sandy bank or in the Rock Garden, with a little 
coaxing by judicious application of manure, it wiU soon develop into 
a fine spreading mass a foot or so high. It is easily propagated by 
cuttings. 

LOBELIA. This popular plant may be roughly divided into 
three classes — the compact or dwarf kind, the free-growing, spread- 
ing kind, and the tall perennials. It is the dwarf kind which is 
chiefly used for " bedding out," being sown in winter under glass and 
transplanted into boxes for further growth until sufficiently estab- 
lished for sale when the " bedding-out " season arrives, while in the 
same way the spreading varieties are raised for filling hanging baskets 
and providing edgings for window-boxes. Various shades of blue 
as well as white may be had in both these kinds, catalogued under 
such names as Crystal Palace Compact, Emperor William, Pumila 
Grandiflora and Magnifica, Prima Donna (a red variety), Speciosa 
Alba, Speciosa Paxtonia, etc. Fine examples of the tall perennials 
are found in L. splendens, L. syphilitica, and L. cardinalis, and they 
are very valuable for the garden as autumn flowers. But they are 
only fairly hardy, and except in warm districts they need some pro- 
tection during the winter, being injuriously affected by moisture 
in cold weather. For that reason it is generally wise to lift them 
after flowering and store them in a dry outhouse or frame, though 
they may sometimes be sufficiently protected by covering the crowns 
with a mound of ashes. They need a rich, free soil and plenty of 
water during the summer; in fact L. cardinalis (perhaps the least 
hardy of the three) is naturally a marsh-growing plant. 

LONDON PRIDE. See Saxifraga. 

LONICERA {Honeysuckle). The Honeysuckle is chiefly useful 
in the garden as a climber, though there are some good bush kinds, 
such as L. fragrantissima and L. Standishi, in both of which the 
flowers, if small, are abundant and beautifully fragrant. Among 
the climbers L. sempervirens (the Trumpet Honeysuckle) may per- 
haps be said to bear the palrn, though not quite hardy enough to 
endure the winter without some protection in cold districts. All 
through the summer it bears fine clusters of long, trumpet-shaped 
flowers, which are almost scarlet inside and delicate yellow within, 
while in addition to being a vigorous climber it will remain evergreen 
in a warm situation. L. japonica (Japan Honeysuckle) is perfectly 
hardy and retains its leaves of deep, shining green throughout the 

224 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

winter, while from the middle of summer to the beginning of autumn 
it is covered with sweet-scented slender flowers, white, tinged with 
red. L. periclymenum, the Woodbine, the native Honeysuckle of 
England, has several cultivated varieties which are valuable in the 
garden; such as serotina, which continues long in flower, and belgica 
(Dutch Honeysuckle), which is a very strong-growing plant. 

LOOSESTRIFE. See Lythrum. 

LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING. See Amaranthus. 

LUNARIA (Honesty). A charming old-fashioned plant — a 
biennial — very useful for the Wild Garden or for rough banks, where 
its white or purple blossoms and fiat silvery seed-pods may be made 
very effective ; while if the branches bearing these seed-pods be cut at 
maturity and dried in the sun they form excellent indoor decoration. 
Seed should be sown in spring or early summer and the seedlings 
thinned out so as to ensure strong plants for the following year. Its 
natural soil is chalky ground, but it is perfectly hardy and will thrive 
almost anywhere. 

LUPINUS (Lupine). As a hardy annual the Lupine is a most 
useful flower, having a large range of colouf and being quite easy of 
culture, while the perennial and tree kind are valuable for the Wild 
Garden and for rough, sandy banks, as they will thrive in a poor soil. 
Among the annuals the hybrid L. atrococcineus is, perhaps, the finest, 
and its long spikes of bright red iiowers tipped with white are both 
showy and graceful, while L. subcarnosus, with its flowers of beautiful 
blue, should not be neglected. Other kinds which have some in- 
dividuality are L. luteus, mutabilis and Menziesi, while many of the 
smaller sorts which are named in catalogues are charming. Of the 
perennials L. arbor eus (Tree Lupine) is excellent and its scent de- 
lightful; the yellow variety is the best, forming a fine bush of two 
or three feet high and easily raised from seed or by cuttings. L. 
polyphyllus is a handsome plant, tall and hardy, with fine spikes of 
flowers varying in colour from blue to purpiish-red or with a mixture 
of purple and white, and it has several good varieties. 

LYCHNIS (Campion). A family of hardy perennials, one of 
which — L. floscuculi — is the Ragged Robin found abundantly in 
our hedges and ditches, and of which there are two double varieties 
in cultivation. L. chalcedonica is a good border plant growing Irom 
i8 inches to 2 feet high and bearing large dense heads of br.ght scarlet 
flowers; there is a white variety, but it is not so good. L. grandifiora 
p 225 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

is a handsome plant (with several varieties) bearing fine clusters of 
large flowers with fringe-like edgings and varying in colour through 
many shades of red to white. AH are somewhat susceptible to cold 
and damp, but do well in a warm situation and on a light soil. They 
may be raised either from seed or cuttings and are considered to be 
improved by occasional transplanting. In addition to the above 
there are several worth attention, especially L. Lagascce, a charming 
little plant for the Alpine garden, profuse in flowers of a bright rose- 
colour. Like most Alpine plants it needs plenty of sun and it thrives 
best in a sandy soil. It is easily raised from seed. 

LYTHRUM {Purple Loosestrife). A common waterside plant, 
of j.^ which the cultivated variety, roseum superbum, will be found 
useful for growing in moist or boggy ground, where its finely- 
coloured large spikes of flowers are very effective. 

MALLOW. Under this name may be included the Malope 
grandifiora, a hardy annual from 2 to 3 feet high, and of which 
there are some showy varieties with white, crimson or rose-coloured 
flowers; and also the Musk Mallow of the Malva tribe, of which the 
white variety is the best, being a hardy perennial thriving in any soil 
and growing into a well-branched bush with flowers giving out a 
faint odour of musk. 

MARGUERITE. The name which is commonly applied to the 
Chrysanthemum frutescens, a half-hardy bushy perennial (with large 
white flowers and yellow centre) from which an enormous number of 
varieties have been derived, most of which may be treated as annuals 
by sowing in spring — under cover for early flowering or in the open 
for later bloom. Sowings may also be made in the greenhouse in 
September for flowering in the spring. Among the annual kind 
some of the single varieties are very charming, such as that called 
Morning Star, with flowers of a delicate sulphur-yeUow; Purple 
Queen, with distinctive flowers of dark purple; and Sultan, with 
flowers which are almost crimson; while for the double-blossomed 
variety there is none better than the Dunnetti strain. 

MARIGOLD {Cottage, French and African, Marsh). See Calen- 
dula, Tagetes and Caltha respectively. 

MARTYNIA. A half-hardy annual, of which M. lutea, with its 
handsome foliage and large clusters of yellow flowers, is useful for 
border groups; while M. fragrans, with fine purple blossoms sweetly 
scented, is another good variety. Both may be raised from seed 

226 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

sown in heat in spring, the seedlings being duly potted off and planted 
out in rich soil. 

MARVEL OF PERU. See Mirabilis. 

MATHIOLA. In most gardening books this name is confined 
to the Night-Scented Stock, and though from the Mathiola all the 
Ten-Week, Intermediate and Brompton Stocks (not the Virginian 
Stock) have been derived, they are referred to in these notes under 
the name of Stock. M. dicornis or odoratissima is that which is 
commonly named the Night-Scented Stock, and is a hardy annual, 
easy of culture and sending out a delightful perfume which permeates 
the still evening air for a long distance. It is, however, an insignifi- 
cant-looking plant and comparatively scentless during the day. 

MECONOPSIS {Indian Poppy). The common Welsh Poppy 
(M. cambrica) is a member of this family and is a hardy perennial, 
but the kinds most useful for the garden are biennials — hardy, but 
requiring two years to bring them to good flowering plants. Seed 
should be sown about March in a frame, and the young plants kept 
well watered, with the frame-lights removed, throughout the summer. 
By the following May or earlier they should have become fair-sized 
plants and should then be transplanted, with as much soil as possible, 
to the border where they are intended to flower. A good well- 
drained soil is essential to their welfare as any cold moisture is in- 
jurious to them, though they need plenty of water during the 
summer. There are many varieties well suited for the Rock Garden, 
such as M. WalUchi, a fine plant between 4 and 5 feet high, of erect 
growth and bearing dainty blossoms of pale blue, peculiarly graceful 
in the manner in which they hang from their slender stems. Another 
beautiful kind is M. aculeata, with large purple flowers and bright 
yeUow stamens poised on stems some 2 feet high ; while for the Wild 
Garden M. cambrica, the Welsh Poppy above referred to, is most 
useful, as it needs no special care and will hold its own in almost any 
situation. 

MERTENSIA. The handsomest of this family is M. virginica, 
the Virginian Cowslip, which comes into bloom in April or early in 
May and bears charming clusters of lavender-blue flowers drooping 
from stems 12 or 18 inches high. But it is a little difficult of culture 
and needs a moist, peaty soil and a sheltered position. M. sibirica, 
though generally classed as a hardy perennial that will grow in ordi- 
nary soil, also thrives best in moist peaty soil, but it is well worth 
cultivating for its beautiful clusters of small bell-like flowers, the 

227 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

colour of which is at first a delicate pink, deepening into blue as the 
bloom matures. M. maritima is a native of our sea-coasts, and with 
a suitable soil — light and sandy — and a sunny situation it ought to 
do weU in cultivation and display its pretty blue flowers from year 
to year. Besides these there is a dwarf kind, M. alpina, suitable for 
the Alpine Garden, growing from 6 to 8 inches high and blossoming 
in early summer into clusters of light blue flowers. 

MICHAELMAS DAISY. Under this name is commonly known 
the perennial Aster or Starwort, a hardy, bush-like plant which may 
well find a place in our gardens, not only because of the beauty of 
form and colour which the many varieties display, but also because 
of their blooming so late into the autumn. The best effect of the 
plants is often lost through the mistake of tying them up in bundles 
against a stake, instead of allowing them to grow in masses and sup- 
port each other. The following are a few of the best kinds: Aster 
acris, amellus, cordifolius, turhinellus, umhdlatus and grandiflorus; 
besides which there are many beautiful varieties in the Novi Belgi 
and Novoi AnglicB types. All may be raised from seed by sowing in 
pots or pans in autumn; the seedlings should be ready for planting 
out in the spring and flower the following autumn. 

MICHAUXIA. The M. campanuloides is usually classed as a 
hardy biennial, but it does not thrive well except in a warm and 
sheltered position, though in a suitable situation it will often continue 
to flower for the third or fourth year; more wisely, however, it 
should be sown every year. It is a tall and stately plant with flowers 
not unlike the Passion Flower, white tinged with purple, and if well 
grown is very effective in a mixed border or among evergreen shrubs. 

MIGNONETTE. The delightful fragrance of this plant {Reseda 
odorata) ensures its welcome. There are several varieties, such as 
grandiflora and pyramidalis, while Machet, with its bold spikes of 
reddish-brown flowers, is a general favourite, especially as a pot- 
plant. For winter flowering indoors the seed should be sown about 
August in a compost of sandy loam and leaf-manure, taking care to 
sow thinly. 

MIMULUS {Monkey-Flower , Musk). The cultivated forms of 
this plant make showy border flowers and are interesting from their 
curious markings, while the M. moschatus (the common Musk) is 
acceptable for its perfume. All the varieties love moisture, and in 
sowing seed, which should be merely sprinkled on the surface and 
not covered with soil, it is often advantageous to lay over it lightly 

228 




IN A SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
Bush of White Michaelmas Daisies. 




IN A SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
A fine clump of Iris. 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

some damp moss, removing it as soon as the seeds begin to germinate. 
Among the many kinds may be mentioned M. cardinalis, an old 
favourite, of which there are several varieties, and M. luteus, which 
includes many beautiful hybrids, dwarf in habit and bearing richly- 
blotched large flowers. 

MIRABILIS {Marvel of Peru). A half-hardy tuberous perennial 
which may be treated as a half-hardy annual and raised from seed 
by sowing early in the year in heat, pricking off the seedlings to 
harden in a cold frame and planting out in June into a warm soil 
where they can get plenty of sun. M. jalapa is the variety usually 
grown, a handsome plant some 2 or 3 feet high and developing into 
a dense bush covered with flowers varying in colour from white to 
yellow, red and purple in many shades. M. multiflora is a smaller 
plant with fine clusters of bright reddish-purple flowers, while M. 
longiflora is remarkable (as its name indicates) for its long tubular 
flowers, which are enriched with centres of brilliant red. 

MONARDA {Bee Balm). A hardy perennial thriving in any 
soil and well suited for the Wild Garden. M. didyma (known as 
Oswego Tea) is a fine variety bearing whorls of deep red flowers 
which last a long time and attaining a height of nearly 3 feet ; while 
M. kalmiana is a still larger and more showy plant with flowers of 
brilliant crimson. In both cases the best effect is obtained by 
massing the plants together in bold groups. 

MONKSHOOD. See Aconitum. 

MONTBRETIA. A beautiful summer and autumn flowering 
tuberous plant, of which there are many charming varieties easily 
grown in the open border. In clay or badly-drained soils they are, 
doubtless, apt to fail, but in rich, light soil they will flourish without 
trouble, while by a little judicious management as to time of planting 
they can be made to flower successively from spring to late autumn. 
In good well-drained soil they may be planted in autumn for spring 
flowering, though to avoid all risk of loss it is wiser to be content with 
summer and autumn flowering by planting from January to March 
and lifting and storing them during the winter. Many excellent 
hybrids have been derived from M. Pottsi, and the following list 
contains some of the best and hardiest for open-air culture : Bouquet 
Parfait, yellow and vermilion; Gerhe d'Or, golden; Etoile de Feu, 
yellow and fiery-red; Phare, bright red; Rayon d'Or, rich yellow; 

229 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

Figaro, dark red and orange; Germania, vivid scarlet; Solfatene, 
pale yellow; and Aurore, with large orange-coloured flowers. 

MORINA {Whorl Flower). M. longifolia is a hardy perennial 
remarkable for its beautiful thistle-like foliage, and in a deep, moist 
soil it will readily attain a height of 2 or 3 feet, bearing long spikes 
of rose-coloured flowers. It is easily raised from seed by sowing in 
light, sunny soil and transplanting the seedlings to richer and 
moister ground. 

MULLEIN. See Verbascum. 

MUSCARI (Grape Hyacinth). A spring-flowering bulb which is 
eminently suited for the Rock Garden or for rough, grassy banks, 
being quite hardy and ready to grow in any ordinary soil ; it is also 
useful for window-boxes, where its gracefully-poised flowers render it 
very attractive. M. racemosum, the most familiar kind, is valuable 
for its hardihood and rapid increase ; it bears clusters of dark purple 
flowers. M. hotryoides is another favourite, and its varieties — album 
and pallidum — are excellent, especially the latter with its clusters of 
delicate sky-blue flowers. M. moschatum is prized for its delicious 
scent — it is commonly known as the Musk Hyacinth — while M. 
comosum monstrosum, the Feather Hyacinth, is remarkable for its 
clusters of purple flowers, having some resemblance to waving feathers. 
M. conicum is wonderfully profuse in bloom, and its rich violet-blue 
flowers are charming in their fragrance. All these are hardy and 
may readily be increased by division of the bulbs every three or four 
years. 

MUSK. See Mimulus. 

MYOSOTIS (Forget-me-not). A hardy perennial well known in 
every garden, sowing itself freely, and a most useful spring flower. 
M. dissitiflora, an early-flowering kind with large clear blue flowers, 
is that generally seen in gardens and is an excellent variety. 
M. palustris, which grows wild in our ditches and on the banks of 
our rivulets, is also useful for garden cultivation in moist soil, while 
M. sylvatica, the Wood Forget-me-not, is valuable for the Wild Garden 
and in plantations or copses. M. alpestris is a dwarf variety, com- 
pact and cushion-like in habit and eminently suited for the Alpine 
or Rock Garden. There are varieties of white and of rose colour as 
well as of blue. 

NARCISSUS (Daffodil). Of aU hardy bulbs the Narcissi are 
the most valuable for the garden, and among the many beautiful 
flowers which we have in spring they seem indispensable. Although 

230 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

the" family is so large, for outdoor culture we are practically re- 
stricted to three groups: the N. incomparabilis (Star Daffodil), the 
N. poeticus (Poet's Narcissus or Pheasant's Eye Narcissus), and the 
N. pseudo-narcissus (Common Daffodil). All these kinds may be 
relied upon as really hardy and suitable for crowing in the open, 
and of each there are many varieties. Some of the best of N. incom- 
parabilis are Sir Watkin, Princess Mary, Autocrat, Gloria Mundi 
and Mary Anderson ; and of TV. poeticus such varieties as Dante, 
Petrarch, etc. (introduced by Mr Engleheart), N. ornatus and grandi- 
florum, and N. recurvus, the Pheasant's Eye of the cottage garden, 
are all useful; while of N. pseudo-narcissus there are three groups, 
the Golden, the Bi-colour and the White, in each of which there are 
many beautiful named kinds. The two chief requisites for the suc- 
cessful growth of Narcissi in the open garden are sound and healthy 
bulbs and early planting. Even the month of June is not too early, 
and September should be the latest; while to plant at a suitable 
depth — 4 or even 5 inches of soil above the top of the bulb — is almost 
as imperative as to plant early. The reason advanced for the de- 
sirability of deep planting is that the bulbs are thus removed from 
the contraction and expansion of the soil caused by the winter's 
alternate frost and thaw. In congenial soil, such as well-drained 
loam. Narcissi increase rapidly, but it is not wise to divide them too 
frequently; every other year is quite often enough, and the best time 
is July, when the leaves have withered. For cut flowers more rare 
and delicate varieties may be grown in pots^in the greenhouse; 
about five bulbs may be planted in an 8-inch pot in the summer and 
covered with ashes or sand until January, when it should be placed 
in a sunny position either in the greenhouse or in a frame. Among 
those suited for indoor culture are N. Corhdaria (the Hooped Petti- 
coat or Basket Daffodil), N. triandrus (Ganymede's Cup), with its 
varieties N. albus (Angel's Tears), N. calathinus and L'lle St Nicholas, 
and the varieties of N. Tazetta (the Polyanthus or Bunch Narcissus), 
such as the Double Roman and the Paper White and the Sacred 
Narcissus or Joss Lily. 

NASTURTIUM. See TROPiEOLUM. 

NEMESIA. A hardy annual — better treated, however, as half- 
hardy — weU worthy of general culture. It may be sown in the open 
in May or in a frame or in boxes in the greenhouse in March ; in the 
latter case the seedlings should be transplanted early in May. There 
are several varieties, one of the best being N. strumosa Suttonii, 
which may be had in many colours. N. floribunda is a free-growing 

231 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

kind, attaining a height of about i foot and bearing flowers of 
white with yellow throats, while N. versicolor has blossoms of blue, 
yellow and white. There is also a dwarf kind, named Nana Com- 
pacta Grandiflora, which is excellent. 

NEMOPHILA. One of the hardiest of annuals and of much 
value for edgings or small beds by reason of its compact growth. 
Seed may be sown either in August, for spring flowering, or in April, 
and in the place where the plants are intended to bloom, though 
they will bear transplanting if it be carefully done. A light soil is 
desirable, in order that the seed may germinate freely and the plants 
be restricted from rank growth. N. insignis is an excellent species 
with sky-blue flowers and varieties of white, purple and striped; 
N. atomaria has white flowers touched with blue, and has varieties 
of sky-blue and black, and white and black; A'', discoidalis has flowers 
of dark purple and of dark red, both edged with white; while N. 
maculata has particularly large flowers of both white and mauve. 

NERTERA-DEPRESSA. A pretty little creeping plant covered 
with tiny scarlet berries and small round leaves, suited for level 
surfaces in the Rock Garden, but only hardy in the warm climates of 
our country. It is often used as a greenhouse pot-plant and may be 
propagated by division or by seed. 

NICOTIANA {Tobacco Plant). A stately half-hardy annual, 
useful as a foliage plant in the greenhouse or for planting out in M^arm 
borders. Seed should be sown early in the year in a warm frame, 
and the seedlings pricked off into pots and placed in a temperature 
of about 60°, when about the end of May they ought to be well 
grown and ready for putting out. N. affinis is the most popular 
variety because of its fragrance, while N, Sanderce, though not 
growing so tall, has many fine colours and is easy of culture. 

NIEREMBERGIA. The varieties usually offered in catalogues 
are N. frutescens and N. gracilis, both graceful plants with elegant 
drooping branches and pretty white flowers touched with purple, 
but rather tender for our climate. The hardy variety is N. rivularis, 
with beautiful trailing foliage and large cup-like white flowers which 
continue in bloom throughout the summer and well into autumn. 
All may be raised from seed or propagated by cuttings in heat. 

NIGELLA. A hardy annual which is attractive not only for its 
flowers but for its peculiar feathery and thorn-like growth, as indi- 
cated by its colloquial names of Love-in-a-Mist and Devil-in-a-Bush. 

232 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

The best known varieties are N. Damascena and N. Hispanica, in 
both of which there are several colours — white, blue and purple. 
Seed should be sown in March in light soil and in the place where the 
plants are intended to bloom, as the seedlings often do not bear 
transplanting. 

NOLANA. A hardy annual of which the varieties N. atriplici- 
folia and N. prostrata are two of the best. Their trailing growth and 
slender stems render them well suited for the Rock Garden, and their 
bell-like blue or violet flowers are very showy. They like a warm, 
sunny situation and a light soil. Seed should be sown in March 
and the seedlings well thinned out, not transplanted. 

NYCTERINIA. A pretty half-hardy annual growing in tufts 
some few inches high and bearing masses of white or blue blossoms 
in late autumn. N. capensis and N. selaginoides are both good 
varieties and should be sown in March in heat and planted out in 
May. 

(ENOTHERA. The common name of Evening Primrose is a 
misnomer in this case, for the blossoms in most kinds are well open 
during the day. The genus includes a great variety of perennials, 
biennials and annuals, and the large kinds, from their free and bold 
growth, are well suited for the Wild Garden, sowing themselves 
readily and only requiring to be confined to their own area in bold 
groups. Of this kind CE. fruticosa and its varieties are excellent 
examples, growing from 2 to 3 feet high and bearing a profusion of 
showy yellow blossoms. (E. missouriensis is more suited for the 
herbaceous border; it has pendant stems of downy appearance and 
fine large flowers of bright yellow; it thrives best in a light, warm soil 
and opens in the evening. CE. triloba is a hardy annual of dwarf 
growth, and to this class belong CE. Dnimmondi and Veitchiana, 
though the last named is better treated as half-hardy. Among the 
tall and vigorous kinds is CE. Lamarckiana, an erect and stately 
biennial growing to a height of 4 feet and bearing magnificent yellow 
flowers often 4 or 5 inches in diameter, while for the Rock Garden 
there is CE. taraxacifoUa with trailing stems and flowers of pure white 
which become tinted with a delicate pink as they mature. 

OMPHALODES. A group of dwarf plants well suited for the 
Rock Garden and of which 0. linifolia is the best known, a hardy 
annual with silvery leaves and pure white flowers, content with any 
ordinary soil and often sowing itself. 0. lucilicB is also hardy but 
must have a well-drained soil, though it delights in moisture if not 

233 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

stagnant; it has beautiful foliage and flowers of a mauve tint. 
Both may be raised from seed sown in spring. In addition to the 
above there is 0. verna (Creeping Forget-me-not), a hardy perennial 
and a charming plant for the Spring Garden. In suitable situations, 
such as woodland banks, and in a cool, moist soU, it quickly 
naturalizes itself and runs wild, its white-throated, clear-blue flowers 
becoming a renewed beauty every spring. 

ONONIS {Rest Harrow). There are three species of this genus 
which grow wild in this country, and of these 0. arvensis is well worth 
cultivation on rough banks or in the Wild Garden. It grows in dense 
tufts, bearing pretty racemes of pink flowers, and its white variety 
is equally or even more commendable. Other garden species are 
0. campestris, rotundifoUa, fruticosa and viscosa. All may be raised 
from seed or by division. 

ONOSMA. A genus which includes several species with beautiful 
yeUow, purple or white flowers, and among which is 0. taurica (the 
Golden Drop), an evergreen perennial growing from 6 to 9 inches 
high, bearing drooping clusters of bell-shaped yellow flowers sweetly 
scented. It is well suited for the Rock Garden, and should be planted 
so that its roots may find a firm hold between the stones in gritty 
loam. It may be raised from seed. 

ORNITHOGALUM {Star of Bethlehem). A genus of bulbous 
plants of which one — 0. pyrenaicum, the Spiked Star of Bethlehem — 
is a native of this country. 0. umhellatum and 0. nutans have be- 
come naturalized, and together with 0. pyramidale and 0. latifolium 
are weU worth a place in the garden on grassy banks, etc., or in the 
Wild Garden. 

OROBUS. A hardy perennial of which some kinds are useful in 
the garden, such as 0. aurantius, a handsome plant some 18 inches 
high with flowers of deep yellow, 0. lathy roides, with fine racemes 
of bright blue flowers, and 0. vermes, which blooms in spring and bears 
beautiful purple or blue flowers. All may be raised from seed and 
will thrive in ordinary soil. 

OXALIS. Under this name we have several pretty dwarf plants, 
both perennial and annual, which are more or less hardy in our 
climate, though they aU like a dry sandy soil and a warm situation. 
O. cernua (the Bermuda Buttercup), with handsome yellow flowers, 
is a useful kind, while 0. corniculata rubra is valuable as a bedding 
plant and luxuriates on rough chalky ground. 0. floribunda is a 

234 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

hardy and free-flowering kind, bearing a profusion of rose-tinted 
flowers and continuing to bloom for a long time, while 0. Deppei, 
though more tender, is valuable for its beautiful reddish-purple 
flowers. 

P^ONIA {Peony). Peonies have much increased in popularity 
of recent years, but in spite of the well-deserved attention they have 
received the Tree Peony (P. Moutan) is still strangely absent from 
many gardens. Yet it is a plant of great beauty, both in leaf and 
blossom, especially in early spring, and it may now be had with 
flowers in great variety of colour, such as white, scarlet, magenta, 
rose, salmon, lilac and violet. The essentials for its welfare are a 
well-manured soil and plenty of water during the summer, and being 
of slow growth it does not flower fully until the third year. Sep- 
tember and October are the best months for planting, and the follow- 
ing are some of the good varieties, both single and double: Cecil 
Rhodes, fringed crimson; Lord Kitchener, deep red; Countess Crewe, 
salmon-pink; and Beatrice Kelway, white, for the single kind; 
while for doubles there are Eastern Prince, deep scarlet; James 
Kelway, rose; Reine Elizabeth, pink; Atalanta, reddish purple; and 
Aphrodite, white. The herbaceous or Chinese Peony, a hardy per- 
ennial, is more often seen in our gardens, and its many beautiful 
varieties are most valuable. Like the Tree Peony, it needs a rich 
soil, but while the Tree Peony requires abundance of sun the herbace- 
ous Peony is grateful for a little shade. Planting should be done in 
September, and each plant should have plenty of space in which to 
develop. Some of the best of the older varieties are Louis Van 
Houtte, Gloria Patrice, and the double white Grandiflora, while among 
those of more recent introduction the pure white Bridesmaid, the 
crimson Meteor, and the rose-coloured Queen of May are recommended 
for single varieties ; and for the double kind the white Festiva maxima, 
the sulphur-coloured Salfaterre, the deep crimson Shirburnian, and 
the pink Lady Beresford. 

PANSY. Under this name may rightly be included the old- 
fashioned Heart's-ease and the modern Viola, seeing that the Pansy 
(Pan's Eye) is the older name for the Heart's-ease (Heart's Eye), and 
that the Viola is a cross between the Pansy and the Viola Cornuta 
(the Horned Violet or Horned Pansy) . Indeed the term Viola seems 
a misnomer and has now been superseded by that of Tufted Pansy, 
indicating the tufted root-growth which has been obtained by means 
of the crossing. The individual flowers of the Heart's-ease or Garden 
Pansy are often very handsome, but for general effect and masses of 

235 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

colour the Tufted Pansy is far superior and many of the best varieties 
yield blooms of delicate beauty well suited for table bouquets. The 
Tufted Pansy is quite easy of culture and may readily be raised from 
seed or, if it is desired to perpetuate the particular variety, by cut- 
tings taken early in April and kept under glass in a shady border 
until weU rooted, when the lights may be removed. By September 
they ought to be ready for transplanting and should be given plenty 
of room for growth, so that they may bloom early in the following 
year. But for ordinary purposes the plants may be raised from seed 
by sowing in the open in a shady border in August, either pricking 
out the seedlings into a prepared plot in the autumn or allowing them 
to remain, after thinning, until the following March, when they should 
be transplanted into the required situation. The plants will spread 
rapidly, but are apt to deteriorate if permitted to remain in the same 
place more than two or three years, unless they receive a liberal 
dressing of manure, while to maintain their bloom throughout the 
summer it is necessary to remove immediately all faded flowers and 
thus prevent any seed maturing; moreover, the plants should be 
kept trim by nipping off any coarse or overgrown shoots, thus pro- 
moting new growth. There are so many beautiful varieties among 
Tufted Pansies that it is impossible to give a complete list here, but 
the following are fairly representative: Self-coloured (Rayless) — 
White Beauty, pure white; Pembroke, light yellow; Rosea Pallida, 
pale pink; Ophelia, pale purple; and Blue Tit, bluish mauve. Self- 
coloured (Rayed) — Lizzie Paul, rich yellow; Councillor W. Wafers, 
crimson-purple; /. B. Riding, fine mauve; True Blue, deep blue; 
and Maggie, rose-pink. Variegated colours — Goldfinch, yellow 
and purple; Cottage Maid, violet dJid -white; i^^z^'^, white and blue; 
Butterfly, white and pink; and Stobhill Gem, violet and white. 

PAPAVER {Poppy). Of the many beautiful annuals which 
grace our gardens there is none more lovely than the Shirley Poppy 
and none more easy to grow, fragile and delicate-looking though it 
is; indeed the one objection to it is that it seeds itself too readily 
and is apt to appear where not wanted. Although it has now spread 
aU over the world it was not in existence before 1880, in which year 
the Rev. W. Wilks, the Vicar of Shirley, (as he himself has told us) 
noticed among a patch of wild poppies in his garden one solitary 
flower which had a narrow edge of white. From this one flower, 
by means of selection and elimination, has sprung the whole race of 
Shirley Poppies, in which the shades of colour are now almost end- 
less. The essential characteristics of the Shirley Poppy are that it 

236 









A WILD PATCH OF GARDEN. 
Canterbury Bells, Campanulas, and Sweet- ■William? 




IN A SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
A wild corner — Poppies. 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

is single, has a white base with yellow or white stamens, and never 
has any black about it. Other beautiful varieties of the Single 
Annual Poppy are P. pavonium, or Peacock Poppy, growing in com- 
pact little tufts of about i foot high and bearing a profusion of 
bright crimson flowers with an inside ring of black; the Victoria 
Cross Poppy, with fine scarlet flowers bearing a broad white cross; 
and that called The Bride, with fringed flowers of pure white. The 
Double Annual Poppy is also well worth attention, and its fine peony- 
headed bloom produces a grand effect when the plants are judiciously 
massed, its colours including rich scarlet, delicate pink, bright lilac, 
and pure white; while the annual called the Feathered Poppy makes 
a handsome plant some 2 feet high and bears large ball -like 
blossoms resembling finely-cut feathers in various shades of pink, 
salmon colour and white. Then there is the Oriental Poppy (P. 
orientate), a noble and hardy perennial with splendid foliage and 
showy bloom, of which P. bracteatum is one of the best varieties, 
with huge blood-red flowers 6 or 7 inches across and blooming 
early in May; while other varieties produce flowers of orange, pink, 
purple, maroon, etc., in different shades. Besides these there is the 
beautiful little Iceland Poppy (P. nudicatde), of dwarf but robust 
habit, bearing large flowers of rich yellow, and which, though a 
perennial, is better treated as an annual; while for the Rock Garden 
there is the Alpine Poppy (P. alpinum), with various colours of 
scarlet, pink and yellow, sowing itself readily year by year (though 
a perennial, it often fails to endure) in clefts of walls or in the crevices 
of the Rock Garden, and thriving in poor soil and bright sunshine. 
All Poppies are easily raised from seed and should be sown where 
intended to flower, as they wiU not bear transplanting, and to keep 
them blooming it is necessary to nip off the seed-pods immediately 
they form. 

PASSIFLORA {Passion Flower). For outdoor cultivation the 
Blue Passion Flower (P. coerulea) and its white variety, Constance 
Elliot, are undoubtedly the best, being fairly hardy in the southern 
districts of our country, especially if trained against a wall with 
southern aspect ; a wall is better than a trellis, as it stores up heat. 
The Passion Flower is practically evergreen, only losing its foliage 
when renewing its leaves in the spring, and throughout the summer 
it is covered with large starry flowers which, in favourable situations, 
yield beautiful masses of orange-coloured fruit, but to enable it to 
bear fruit there must be several plants at no great distance from each 
other. Both the blue and the white kind are best propagated from 

237 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

cuttings set in a cold frame in summer, but the blue may also be 
raised from seed sown in pots in the greenhouse or the frame, and will 
flower in the second year. Pruning should be done in February by 
cutting the young shoots to about two-thirds of their length and 
removing all weakly growth. 

" PELARGONIUM. This genus includes the so-called Geranium, 
more properly termed Zonal Pelargonium, which, in its many varieties, 
is so useful as a " bedding-out " plant, not only because of its 
brilliant-coloured flowers, ranging from white to vivid scarlet, but 
also because of the beautiful variegated foliage it has now been made 
to assume. There are also a great number of double-flowered 
varieties which are excellent for pot culture but not so well suited 
for borders. Another section of the Pelargonium is the Ivy-leaved, 
valuable wherever a drooping habit is required (in window-boxes, 
for instance, or in garden vases), but they are somewhat tender and 
should be treated accordingly. The number of the varieties in 
Pelargoniums is so enormous that it is impossible to give a list here, 
but a few of the Zonal Pelargoniums best suited for borders are: 
Vesuvius, Beckwith's Pink, Queen of Whites, King of Bedders, and 
James Kelway. 

PENTSTEMON. Both for the border and the Rock Garden the 
Pentstemon, in one or other of its many varieties, is admirable. 
For the border P. barbafus, a tall and handsome plant with spikes 
of bell-like flowers of charming pink, is one of the best, and its variety 
Torreyi, with flowers of deep scarlet, is equally good, but though 
generally described as hardy perennials they are both a little 
tender and thrive best in a warm soil with some protection during 
winter. For the Rock Garden P. glaber, of dwarf habit, with blue or 
violet flowers; P. Menziesii, of shrubby growth and flowers of 
reddish-purple ; and P. heterophyllus, with flowers of blue deepening 
to purple, are all excellent. Pentstemons may be grown either from 
cuttings or seed, but they are a little tricky in culture and need a 
good friable soil, well drained. 

PERIWINKLE. See Vinca. 

PETUNIA. A showy half-hardy plant with large, rich blossoms 
embracing a great variety in shades of colour, marking and form. 
The single-flowered kind are useful for borders, producing a charming 
effect when properly massed, and may be raised from seed sown in 
heat in February or March, by which means good plants may be 
obtained for planting out by the end of May. The double-flowered 

238 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

kind are more suited for pot culture in the greenhouse and should be 
propagated by cuttings made in August in a good bottom heat and 
potted off in due course in ordinary compost. Some of the best- 
named double kinds are the white Juliette Lamher, the pink and white 
f ringed-pet ailed Frau Stadt Schroder, and the bluish-purple Charon. 

PHACELIA. A hardy annual with many varieties of size and 
habit, that most generally known being P. campanularia, growing 
about I foot high and producing a fine display of deep blue flowers. 
A larger kind is P. tanacetifoUa, a vigorous plant some 2 or 3 feet high, 
with fine foliage and handsome heads of pale-blue flowers; while for 
the Rock Garden there is P. humilis, only a few inches high, with 
freely spreading stems bearing flowers of rich dark blue. 

PHLOX. The half-hardy annual P. Drummondi, of which 
there are many varieties, is that most generally known, and is one of 
the most useful by reason of its brilliance and diversity in colour and 
its comparative indifference to bad weather. Its chief desideratum 
is a rich, moist soil — it cannot endure starvation. Seed should be 
sown early in March in a warm, moist atmosphere, and the seedlings 
pricked off as soon as they can be handled and kept in a temperature 
of 50° to 55° until the weather is warm enough to plant them out- 
side. The other Phloxes, the perennial kind, may be roughly divided 
into two groups — the Alpine, dwarf, or creeping sort, and the tall 
herbaceous plants. P. suhulata is a typical example of the first group, 
a beautiful little evergreen bearing a mass of rose-purple flowers, 
while its variety, P. nivalis, is smaller, more trailing, and more fully 
leaved. Then for the creeping sort we have P. reptans, blooming as 
early as the beginning of May, sending out numberless stems bearing 
flowers of a deep-rose tint, and thriving in a moist and shady nook ; 
while for the tall herbaceous kind, that called Coquelicot, a fine, 
handsome plant with flowers of brilliant orange-scarlet, is certainly 
one of the best. 

PHYGELIUS. P. capensis, the Cape Figwort, is a hardy 
perennial well suited for a light-soiled, dry situation, as it loves the 
heat and will endure drought. In a fairly good soil it will attain 
some 3 feet high, sending out line flower-spikes of brilliant scarlet, 
which last from early summer tiU autumn. It may be grown from 
seed but is more easUy grown by cuttings from the root-stock. 

PHYSALIS. P. Alkekengi (the Winter Cherry), though classed 
as a hardy perennial, is glad of a warm situation. It is a handsome 
plant, growing some 18 inches high and bearing in autumn bright 

239 



A YEARS GARDENING 

orange-red bladder-like pods on erect stems, which, when cut and 
dried, make a highly decorative display in vases and last a long time. 
Another, and perhaps better variety, is P. Francheti (the Chinese 
Lantern), of much larger growth and bearing fruit-pods of brilliant 
coral-red; while for a third variety we have P. edulis (the Cape 
Gooseberry), which, however, is not hardy and should be treated as 
a greenhouse plant. All may be grown from seed, and the two first 
named may be sown in the open in spring. 

PHYSOSTEGIA. A family of hardy perennials useful for 
summer flowering and thriving in any ordinary soil. P. virginiana 
is a good variety, growing about 2 feet high and bearing fine spikes 
of purple flowers, while the form called speciosa has larger and deeper- 
coloured flowers. Both may be increased by division. 

PHYTEUMA [Rampion). Many of these plants will be found 
useful for the Rock Garden. P. Sieberi, for instance, is a pretty little 
plant forming low tufts on which it bears stems of 4 or 5 inches 
long terminating in flowers of dark blue. It should have a sunny 
position and needs a moist soil. P. humile is also good, but it needs 
a sheltered position, being resentful of cold moisture, though it 
enjoys plenty of water in summer. Its blue flowers are borne on 
rather longer stems than those of P. Sieberi. Another variety often 
recommended is P. comosa, but it is very slow in growth. It has 
heads of purple flowers closely set on holly-like leaves, and thrives 
best in a cleft where it can root deeply. It is best raised from seed; 
the other two by division. 

PINK. See Dianthus. 

PLATYCODON. There are several varieties of this plant which 
are inclined to be troublesome in culture, but the dwarf variety, 
P. Mariesi (the Chinese Bellflower), maybe treated as a hardy per- 
ennial. Its flowers may be either blue or white, and its dwarf habit 
prevents its beautiful foliage from breaking away as in the larger 
varieties. It may be raised from seed. 

PLATYSTEMON. A species of Poppy, of which P. californicus, 
a hardy annual, is a useful variety, producing charming tufts of 
delicate foliage thickly studded with lemon-coloured flowers. It 
thrives in ordinary soil and should be sown in patches, where it is in- 
tended to bloom, and weh thinned out. It will not bear transplanting. 

PLUMBAGO. A graceful perennial, of which the two varieties, 
P, capensis and P. Larpentce, are of value for the greenhouse and 

240 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

the Rock Garden respectively. The former, with its dehcate blue 
blossoms, makes a charming training plant for the greenhouse, while 
the latter is perfectly hardy and forms dense tufts of wiry stems, some 
6 inches high, bearing trusses of deep blue flowers early in September, 
which last until the frost cuts them off. It is easily propagated by 
division in spring. 

POLEMONIUM. A hardy perennial useful in some of its varie- 
ties for the Rock Garden. P. humile is one of the best, but though 
hardy on a well-drained light soil it will not endure during the winter 
in a damp situation. It is a pretty plant with pale blue flowers set 
on stems a few inches high. A larger kind, more suited for the 
border, is that called Richardsonii, with clusters of bell-like flowers 
of deep blue or of pure white. Both the white and the blue kinds are 
fragrant and useful for cutting. P. ccenileum (Jacob's Ladder) is 
a well-known variety of which there are several kinds — with blue 
flowers, with white flowers, or with variegated fohage. 

POLIANTHES {Tuberose). The Tuberose is usually grown as 
a greenhouse plant, but in warm districts and in a sheltered border 
it will flower freely in the open. Its delightful fragrance and its pure 
white flowers render it a valuable plant, and in the greenhouse it is 
easily flowered by planting the bulbs in pots filled with a compost 
of loam and leaf mould and plunging the pots in a bottom heat of 
60° to 70°. 

POLYANTHUS. Although this is usually considered to be a 
variety of Primula elatior (the Oxlip Primrose), it seems more con- 
venient to place it under the heading of its weU-known name of 
Polyanthus. For rich and varied colouring the Polyanthus excels, 
perhaps, any of our spring flowers, and though it may not yield 
itself so well as others for producing masses of colour, it is most 
effective when set in small clumps, so that the beauty of each plant 
may be discerned. Its cultivation is perfectly simple, for it will 
thrive in any garden soil, though it prefers one which is rich and 
moist, and flourishes best in a sheltered and somewhat shady situa- 
tion. It can easily be raised from seed sown in the open during the 
summer months and may be increased by division in autumn or early 
spring. Its varieties are almost innumerable and a selection may be 
made without difficulty from any good seed catalogue. 

POLYGALA. A family of dwarf creep ng shrubs, some of which 
are excellent for the Rock Garden. P. Chamcehuxus purpurea is a 
beautiful example, with bright evergreen leaves and purplish stems, 
Q 241 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

compact in habit, and bearing lovely flowers of reddish-purple with 
yellow centres. It thrives in any well- drained soil. 

POLYGONATUM {Solomon's Seal). The ordinary and most 
commonly grown variety is P. multiflorum, with graceful, drooping 
stems from 2 to 3 feet high, from the upper side of which spring the 
leaves, while from beneath hang bunches of bell-like white flowers. 
It is quite hardy, but flourishes best in moist soil and in some shady 
spot. P. latifolium is the old broad-leaved sort; it is of robust 
growth, the stems being often 3 to 4 feet high, with fine leaves and 
greenish-white flowers. P. japonicum is a distinct species, flowering 
early in April and growing about 2 feet high, with flowers of purplish- 
white. 

POLYGONUM (Knoiweed). A very large and varied family, 
some of which are useful for the garden, especially as waterside plants. 
Of such are P. chinense, of compact habit and throwing up good 
sprays of white flowers, and P. sachalinense, a fine perennial with large 
leaves sometimes a foot in length, and bearing drooping racemes of 
greenish- white flowers. For the wild garden P. cuspidatum, with its 
profusion of creamy- white flowers and its persistent growth, is useful; 
while P. baldschuanicum, with its pink-hued flowers and rosy fruit, 
has a fine effect as a climber both in summer and autumn. 

POPPY. See Papaver. 

PORTULACA. A most valuable half-hardy annual, excelling 
in the brilliancy and diversity of its colour, which ranges from white 
through innumerable shades of red and yeUow. It thrives alike in 
a poor, dry soil and in the well-manured border, but it must have a 
sunny aspect. There are both double and single kinds, and the 
varieties in each have become so numerous that the attempt to name 
them has almost been abandoned, mixed seeds being generally used. 
Although classed as a half-hardy annual, the seed may be sown in the 
open during the latter half of May ; the more general plan, however, 
being to sow in a warm frame and prick off and plant out as soon as 
weather permits. 

POTENTILLA [Cinquefoil). A large family in which are found 
some useful hardy perennials and pretty Alpine plants. The her- 
baceous variety includes some fine plants, notably P. nepolensis, 
growing some 18 inches high and bearing flowers of a beautiful 
crimson colour. P. Hopwoodiana is slightly taller, with large flowers 
of rose and yellow. Both these are single varieties, but the double 

242 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

kinds are more showy, and of the named sorts some of the best are : 
Belzebuth, dark crimson; Dr Andry, scarlet and yellow; Phcebus, 
rich yellow; and Fenelon, orange and scarlet. Among the dwarf 
Alpine species the following may be quoted: P. alba, with pretty 
white, star-like flowers; P. pyrenaica, with large flowers of deep 
yellow; and P. tonguei, with unusual coloured flowers, orange and 
terra-cotta. Potentillas are, for the most part, quite hardy and may 
easily be raised from seed; they thrive in a light soil and luxuriate in 
plenty of sunshine. 

PRICKLY POPPY. See Argemone. 

PRICKLY THRIFT. See Acantholimon. 

PRIMROSE. This hardy perennial (the Primula vulgaris) is 
too well known to need description here, but it may not be amiss to 
mention that we have now some beautiful strains which range in 
colour from pure white through many shades of crimson, maroon, 
orange and yellow. All may be raised from seed sown in the open in 
some shady patch of ground during June or July, and it is wise to 
give a protection from slugs by a sprinkling of soot or wood ashes. 
As soon as the seedlings are strong enough to bear removal they 
should be transferred to the place where they are intended to bloom, 
which should be a spot tempered from the fierce heat of the sun and 
with soil of stiff, moist loam. For the Rock Garden the Alpine Prim- 
roses are very valuable ; such as Primula rosea, a Himalayan species, 
with compact tufts of pale-green leaves from which emerge flower- 
stems 6 or 7 inches high, bearing flowers of delicate pink, and of 
hardy and vigorous growth; while Primula denticulata is equally 
hardy and of more robust growth, being some 9 or 10 inches high, 
with stout stems terminating in fine clusters of lilac blossoms. 
Primula viscosa, with its flowers of rosy-purple, and Primula farinosa, 
with flowers in shades of lilac, pink and crimson, should also be 
mentioned. 

PRIMULA-AURICULA. See Auricula. 

PRIMULA-SINENSIS {Chinese Primrose). The genus Primula 
embraces many flowers which are usually called by other names, such 
as Auricula, Primrose, Polyanthus, etc., but the Primula of common 
parlance is the Primula-Sinensis in its many varieties. Under the 
protection of the greenhouse it is hardy enough, but though some- 
times classed in seed catalogues as a perennial it is more wisely 
treated as an annual. Successive sowings may be made from April 

243 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

to July in clean pots (for the Primula is nice in its requirements) 
tilled with a compost of loam, leaf mould and a little sand; water 
before sowing, sow thinly, and cover lightly with soil, and place the 
pots in a temperature of 55° to 65° for germination of seed. The 
seedlings should be pricked off singly into pots as soon as they will 
bear it, and during the summer months should be freely exposed to 
the air, as a robust growth is essential for the production of good 
bloom. Care must be exercised in watering, as an excess of moisture 
or drought is equally fatal. The varieties are so numerous that it is 
impossible to give a detailed list here, but they may be had in all 
colours — white, blue, red, crimson, scarlet, spotted, margined, etc. 
The Star Primula (P. stellata) is a free-flowering variety of P. sinensis, 
but taller, more slender and more elegant in growth. It is well worth 
cultivation, as it continues in bloom a long time and makes excellent 
sprays for cutting, remaining fresh in water for many days. Its 
culture is the same as that of P. sinensis and its colours are almost as 
various. 

PRIMULA- VULGARIS. See Primrose. 

PRINCE'S FEATHER. See Amaranthus. 

PTEROCEPHALUS. The P. parnassi is a useful addition to the 
Rock Garden, where its clumps of pachydermous-like leaves, sur- 
mounted with mauve flowers, are distinctly effective. 

PUSCHKINIA. P. scilloides is a pretty bulbous plant, similar 
in growth to the Scillas and a beautiful addition to the Spring Garden. 
It bears spikes of delicate blue flowers and needs a warm, sunny 
aspect and light friable soil. The bulbs should be planted in autumn, 
about 4 inches deep. 

PYRETHRUM. A hardy perennial of vigorous growth, useful 
not only as a foliage plant but also for its blossoms, which are con- 
tinually being unproved in variety of colour and form. Though 
midsummer is its best time for flowering, it is valuable for autumn 
display, as if cut down after first blooming it will blossom again, and 
a succession of bloom can be obtained by periodical sowing and 
judicious stopping. The varieties, both single and double, are 
too numerous to be quoted here, but among the beautiful single 
kind (by many more esteemed than the double) which are recom- 
mended by Messrs Kelway the following may be mentioned: Agnes 
Mary Kelway, rose-coloured; ApoUyon, pink; Golconde, crimson; 
Mrs Bateman Brown, purple ; and Princess Marie, white. 

244 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

RAGGED ROBIN. See Lychnis. 

RANUNCULUS [Buttercup). Among the cultivated species 
R. alpestris, the Alpine Buttercup, makes a good plant for the Rock 
Garden if set in a moist and porous soil. It grows in small tufts, 
and its large flowers of pure white, borne singly on erect stems, form 
an attractive contrast to its mass of shining dark-green leaves. R. 
amplexicaulis is another species well suited for the Rock Garden. 
It grows about i foot high, with grey-green leaves, slender stems 
and flowers of pure white with yellow centres. R. asiaticus, the 
Turban Ranunculus, is a garden variety of which there are many 
sorts and many colours, all of some value. It is less delicate than 
some of the named varieties of the garden Ranunculus, and in a 
weU-worked soil and open situation it thrives well. The bulbs 
should be planted in the latter half of February, claw downwards, 
about 2 inches deep, and as soon as the leaves fade, after flowering, 
the bulbs should be lifted and stored in a cool place in sand, as they 
seldom withstand the cold rains of winter though delighting in warm 
moisture. 

RED-HOT POKER PLANT. See Kniphofia. 

RESEDA-ODORATA. See Mignonette. 

REST HARROW. SeeO^oms. 

RHODANTHE. A half-hardy annual, one of the brightest of 
" Everlasting " flowers and useful also for the garden border. R. 
Manglesi is the original species, and has rose-coloured blossoms with 
yellow centres, while R. maculata may be had with either white or 
carmine flowers. R. atro-sanguinea differs from the foregoing by 
being more branched and of dwarfer growth, and bears flowers of 
bright magenta, but it is somewhat tender. Seed should be sown 
in heat in February or March, and the seedlings pricked off as soon 
as possible, as they do not transplant successfully except when quite 
small. 

"~ RICHARDIA. There are several species of this genus, but that 
which is generally known and cultivated with us is R. cethiopica, 
commonly called the Arum Lily or the Lily of the Nile. The latter 
name is certainly a misnomer, the plant not being found anywhere 
near the Nile, though it may be seen in profusion, growing rampantly 
wild, throughout the Cape. Its handsome white spathes and fine 
foliage make it an effective plant for the greenhouse, and it may be 

245 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

made to vary in the time of bloom according to the treatment given. 
Winter and early spring are the seasons most usually chosen, for which 
purpose the plants should be allowed to stand out of doors during 
the summer and kept dry, re-potting them in a rich loam towards 
the end of July and keeping them moist, but allowing them to re- 
main out of doors untn frost threatens. 

RICINUS {Castor-oil Plant). A half-hardy annual which is 
valuable in the garden for its noble ornamental foliage and which 
may be made a bold and effective centre for a large circular bed. 
Though usually raised in heat it is quite possible to obtain successful 
results by sowing in the open early in May. The seeds (which are 
large) should be put in about 3 inches deep and 2 or 3 inches apart 
in the place where the plants are intended to grow, and the seedlings 
finally thinned out till one (or more) is retained. A rich, well-drained 
soil is essential, as the growing season being short the seedlings must 
be brought on as rapidly as possible. The advantage of sowing 
out of doors instead of in heat arises from the fact that a plant, when 
raised in the house, is very apt to receive a check on its transfer to 
the open, from which it may fail to recover before the growing season 
is well advanced. Among the best varieties are Borboniensis arhoreus, 
often growing from 12 to 15 feet high; Gihsoni, a fine dark kind; and 
Belot Desfougeres, tall and branching. 

ROCK CISTUS. See Helianthemum. 

ROCKET. See Hesperis. 

ROCKFOIL. See Saxifraga. 

ROMNEYA-COULTERI {Calif ornian Bush Poppy). A fine 
shrubby plant, not quite safe without some protection during the 
winter, except in a warm, sheltered position in our southern counties, 
but well worth cultivation for its large and delicate flowers of snowy 
white with golden stamens. The flowers are often as much as 6 
inches across, and are of a peculiarly fragile, almost transparent 
texture, yet lasting many days and emitting a slight but delicious 
perfume. Care should be exercised when forking around the plant, 
as it will not endure any root disturbance. 

ROSE. So many text-books have been written and so much valu- 
able information recorded about the Rose, its culture has been so fully 
discussed and its many varieties so amply described, that it seems 
doubtful whether, in the compass of these brief notes, anything useful 

246 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

remains to be said. Yet a few simple hints on general treatment 
may not be altogether amiss. 

One point worth mentioning is that the garden as a whole, and 
not merely a rectangular plot in it, should be beautified by this 
Queen of Flowers. The vast strides which have been made in recent 
years in the culture of the Rose have rendered it more fitted than 
ever to take a place in the " decorative " effect of the garden; its 
time of blooming is not, as formerly, confined to a few weeks' dura- 
tion, but by a judicious selection of Monthly Roses, Tea Roses, 
Hybrid Perpetuals and Climbers we may now have the Rose in 
flower from early summer to late autumn. 

Nor are Roses so imperious in the matter of soil as to need their 
being relegated to one particular plot. It is true that a rich, heavy 
loam, with a sub-soil of clay, is considered the best, especially for 
Hybrid Perpetuals, but any good soil, such as will grow vegetables 
successfully, will be equally satisfactory for Roses, while most Tea 
Roses will flourish in a light soil. Position, however, is all-important ; 
cleanliness, sunshine and plenty of air are essential, and hence Roses 
are apt to flag in the dirt-laden air and close quarters of a town garden. 

Probably many a young Rose-tree is spoilt in the mere planting; 
in both time and method there is, of course, a right and a wrong way. 
The early spring is a permissible time, but dangerous, for cutting 
winds with bright sunshine by day and a touch of frost at night are 
not conducive to the welfare of a newly-planted Rose. Autumn, 
from the middle of October to the end of November, is the best 
season for planting, and even then it should be done in mild, moist 
weather, if possible, taking care that the roots are not previously 
exposed for any length of time and that they do not come into direct 
contact with any manure which may be used. 

Pruning is another important matter and one which often pre- 
sents some difficulty to the amateur. But the process becomes quite 
simple when once the true object is grasped, viz., to induce the 
growth of new wood by cutting away the growths of the previous 
season. The best time for this is early in March, though Tea Roses 
may be pruned some three weeks later. It may be mentioned that 
with Climbing Roses it is generally advisable to cut back only a few 
inches of the previous summer's growth and prune to the ground 
the older growths. The annual pruning of Roses other than Climbers 
may be supplemented by thinning the shoots in May, and to obtain 
fine specimens of flowers disbudding is usually necessary — the 
picking some, or all, of the side buds of a cluster, thus allowing the 
centre one space and nourishment for its full development. 

247 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

As to manuring, it is well to remember that the Rose is not 
naturally a gross feeder and should not be subjected to strong, crude 
" fertilizers." Undoubtedly the soil should be kept in good heart 
by the periodical incorporation of well-rotted manure, but assuming 
this is done the best treatment for the soil is to keep it quite loose for 
5 or 6 inches from the surface. A small, thin-pronged fork is the 
handiest tool for the purpose and should be used constantly, especi- 
ally after rainfaU or watering, the object being to keep the soil in 
such a condition that air and warmth can penetrate easily. With 
the soil kept thus, artificial watering is seldom necessary ; but if May 
should happen to be an exceptionally dry month watering may have 
to be resorted to during the early part of June to nourish the foliage, 
in which case let a liberal supply of soft water be given at intervals 
of not less than two days, and during the remainder of the season a 
mulching of stable litter will probably be sufficient to keep the 
ground moist. 

Finally, a constant watch must be kept for caterpillars and green- 
fly, though the experience of the writer has been that if a Rose-tree 
is in good condition it seldom suffers from green-fly. But this cannot 
be said of the caterpillar, and nothing is really so efficacious a remedy 
for this pest as hand-picking. The rough-and-ready method is to 
pinch the leaf which is rolled up, or the leaves which are stuck to- 
gether, and thus destroy the maggot within ; but a better practice, 
perhaps, is to carry in one's waistcoat pocket a small camel's-hair 
brush and by its means remove the grub without destroying the 
leaves. In any case, constant watchfulness is the main factor; 
during the season not a day should be allowed to pass without making 
an examination of the Roses. 

ROSE CAMPION. See Agrostemma. 
RUDBECKIA. See Echinacea. 

SAINTPAULIA. As a pot plant for the greenhouse or for table 
decoration 5. inonantha is quite worth growing, being a pretty little 
perennial, some 3 or 4 inches, with fleshy leaves and clusters of 
bright violet-blue flowers. Seed should be sown in March in a 
porous compost and kept in a warm, moist air. The seedlings may 
be expected to flower about September and will continue in bloom 
throughout the winter. 

SALPIGLOSSIS. A half-hardy annual which has been much 
improved of late, and of which there are now many beautiful strains 
with flowers varying in colour from delicate creamy white to orange, 
scarlet, crimson and purple. It has slender, erect stems from i 

248 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

to 2 feet high, and thrives in hght rich loam. For early flowering 
seed should be sown in moderate heat at the beginning of March, 
when the plants will be ready for putting out in May ; but it may also 
be sown in the open in April, in the place where intended to bloom, 
care being taken to thin out rigorously. 

SALVIA {Sage). This family includes many beautiful garden 
plants, both perennial and annual, hardy and half-hardy. S. 
splendens, with its clear-green foliage and brilliant scarlet flowers, 
is one of the most useful and showy of the family, and has diverged 
into many valuable strains. S. patens, with its flowers of intense 
blue, is another lovely variety, while 5. Roemeriana, with flowers of 
deep crimson, is of compact dwarf growth well suited for border 
edgings. All these may be satisfactorily treated as half-hardy 
annuals. There are many other varieties well worth growing, such 
as 5. azurea, a perennial which will thrive in the open in mild districts, 
with fine spikes of pale blue flowers; and 5. cacalicBJolia, also per- 
ennial in warm situations, with grey-green downy foliage and erect 
stems bearing flowers of deep blue. 

SANGUINARIA-CANADENSIS. A hardy and pretty plant 
well suited for the Wild Garden, where in moist soil it will readily 
naturalize itself, pushing forth in all directions stout creeping roots, 
from which appear glaucous leaves and stems of large white 
flowers with yellow stamens — a beautiful sight in spring. It is 
useful, also, for the margins of copses, or where the drip from trees 
prevents other vegetation. 

SANVITALIA. A hardy annual thriving in any ordinary soil 
and easily raised from seed by sowing in autumn for spring flowering 
or in April for summer bloom. The double-flowered 5. procumbens, 
with trailing stems and bright yellow flowers, is the best variety. 

SAPONARIA. A hardy perennial and annual of dwarf creeping 
habit, and useful in the Rock Garden or as border edgings. S. 
calabrica (annual) is one of the prettiest varieties, growing about 
6 inches high with slender stems of small blossoms, either pink or 
white; while S. ocymoides splendens (perennial) is particularly 
valuable for the Rock Garden, making an excellent drooping plant 
for falling over the face of the rocks and becoming a mass of rose- 
coloured bloom. 

SAXIFRAGA. A large family which includes many species 
and varieties and a host of beautiful Alpine plants, most of which are 
quite easy to grow. Of the species most suited for the Rock Garden 

249 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

the following may be quoted : 5. aretioides, with stems about i inch 
high, bearing, in April, flowers of a beautiful golden yellow, and 
requiring a moist but well-drained soU, with protection from the 
intrusion of any coarser growth; 5. burseriana, of moss-like habit, 
with elegantly-frilled white blossoms borne on slender red stalks, 
and blooming freely as early as January or February; 5. ciliata, 
with broad, hairy leaves, and stems some 6 inches high on which are 
borne large flowers of pinkish hue, a handsome and very noticeable 
plant, but too tender to be grown in the open except in the warm 
districts of our country, and even then requiring a sheltered position ; 
and S. muscoides, of which there are several kinds, one of the best being 
atropurpurea, with blossoms of beautiful reddish-purple borne in 
dense masses on stems only a few inches high. Among the larger 
species of Saxifraga may be mentioned 5. cotyledon and its fine 
variety 5. pyramidalis, with its p5n:amids of silvery-white flowers 
on stems growing from I2 to 20 inches high; it makes a fine pot 
plant and is quite hardy. 5. longi folia is another beautiful species, 
with leaves of grey-green spotted with white, and bearing fine 
columns of white flowers; it is quite hardy and blooms in early 
summer. Last, but by no means least graceful, is S. umbrosa, the 
common London Pride, too well known to need any description here; 
a most useful plant for border edgings and making beautiful compact 
masses in the Wild Garden when grown in natural clumps. 

SCABIOSA (Scabious). Although the Scabious, in most of its 
varieties, is either biennial or perennial, it is usually, and more con- 
veniently, treated as a hardy annual. 5. atropurpurea, the Sweet 
Scabious, is one of the most useful kinds, and may be had in all shades 
of purplish-red and yellow, and in white. When sown in the open in 
May it will bloom in the following year, or if sown early in April or 
towards the end of March it will flower in the late summer of the same 
year. S. caucasica is a handsome kind, a perennial, though failing 
to endure the winter on cool soils. It grows in dense tufts and sends 
out long stalks bearing large heads of blue or white flowers, very use- 
ful for cutting. Many other strains, with both double and single 
flowers, and in numerous shades of colour, may be selected by con- 
sulting a seedsman's catalogue. 

SCHIZANTHUS. An annual of elegant growth and beautifully- 
coloured fairy-like blossoms bearing some fancied resemblance 
to a butterfly. 5. pinnatus, growing from i to 2 feet high, with 
purple and yellow blossoms, is one of the hardy kinds, and it has 

250 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

several beautiful varieties, such as papilionaceus (purple-spotted), 
atropurpureus (deep purple), P^'^'es^* (white), and Tom Thumb, of com- 
pact habit. Of those suitable for greenhouse culture S. retusus, with 
flowers of rose and orange colour, is excellent; while 5. Wisetonensis, 
of compact pyramidal form, with large flowers of white, pink and 
yellow, makes a fine greenhouse plant. Seed may be sown in heat 
in the spring for summer flowering, or in August, the plants being 
kept in a cool house during the winter, for planting out in the 
following May. 

SCHIZOPETALON-WALKERI. A hardy annual growing 
about 6 inches high, with slender stems and fringed white flowers 
delicately scented. It needs a warm, rich soil and a sheltered situa- 
tion, but given these advantages it may be sown in the open at the 
beginning of May and will bloom in the following August. It will not 
bear transplanting. 

SCILLx\ {Squill). For beautiful spring flowers none is more 
valuable than the Scilla, and the bulbs demand only the simplest 
culture. Planted in early autumn in any good garden soil they will 
bloom in spring — from February to May, according to kind — and 
need no attention for years beyond a yearly top-dressing of manure. 
5. bi folia is one of the earliest to bloom and forms handsome tufts 
bearing masses of dark blue flowers, but it does not so well withstand 
cold rain and storm as its more vigorous variety 5. prcecox. S. 
sihirica is a charming little flower of much value for the Rock Garden 
and is distinctive by its peculiar tint of porcelain-blue. 5. hispanica, 
the Spanish Scilla (sometimes called 5. campanulata) , is a late- 
flowering kind and makes a beautiful display till nearly the end of 
May. It bears large, short-stalked, bell-shaped flowers of clear-blue 
colour. S. nutans, the common Bluebell, need not be neglected, 
and its varieties alba (white), rosea (rose-coloured) and ccerulea 
(pale blue) are aU very pretty and include some large-flowered strains 
called major and grandiflora. 

SCYPHANTHUS. An elegant half-hardy annual, a climber 
growing some 8 or lo feet high, with deeply-cut leaves and cup- 
shaped flowers of bright yellow spotted inside with red. It blooms 
freely from August to October in a rich, light soil. 

SEA HOLLY. See Eryngium. 

SEA PINK (Thrift). See Armeria. 

251 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

SEDUM (Stonecrop). In this family there are many varieties 
well suited for the Rock Garden, while others are sufficiently tall and 
stately to serve as handsome border plants. S. spectahile, for in- 
stance, is a fine plant, with broad leaves and dense heads of reddish- 
purple flowers, appearing in August and continuing for two months 
or more; while its variety called airopurpureum is, perhaps, still 
more handsome, with darker blooms of rich purple. Among the 
dwarf kmds 5. sempervivoides is one of the most beautiful, having 
leaves like those of the Houseleek, with dense heads of brilliant 
scarlet flowers, but it cannot withstand cold wet weather. How- 
ever, it grows rapidly from seed, and by sowing in gentle heat in 
January good-sized plants may be obtained by the summer. S. 
stoloniferum has large flat leaves and purple flowers which appear 
in late summer, and is well suited for border edgings, as is S. ihericum, 
with its dainty stems and white flowers. 5. rupestre is the native 
Stonecrop, too well known to need description here; and there are 
various forms of it well worth cultivation, such as the crested variety 
called monstrosum and the kind named album, with leaves of peculiar 
green and pinky-white flowers. 

SEMPERVIVUM {Houseleek). There are several varieties of 
this plant, but all bearing a strong family likeness, their differences 
being chiefly confined to variation in the tint of leaves and the colour 
of flowers. They are useful additions to the contents of the Rock 
Garden, flourishing in chinks and crevices where few plants could 
find sustenance, and maintaining life and beauty in dry and sunny 
positions — on an old roof or the top of a wall — where nothing else 
could live. S. tectorum, the common Houseleek, is, of course, well 
known, and some of its varieties, such as rusiicum and Royeni, are 
useful. S. calcareum is an excellent plant; quite hardy, easily 
grown, and suitable either for border edgings or for the Rock Garden. 
S. fimbriatum is justly popular for the profusion of its bloom — dark 
rose-coloured flowers borne on stems some six or seven inches high — 
and for its fringed leaves tipped with purple. 5. arachnoideum is a 
wonderful Alpine species, having leaves covered with a delicate 
tracery of white down which gives the appearance of the web of a 
spider (hence its name arachnoideum) , and with which, in summer, 
its pretty pink flowers make a delightful contrast. Though needing 
plenty of root moisture it should be placed in a sunny, open spot of 
the Rock Garden. 

SENECIO. For general usefulness in the garden there are only 
two of this family which are of much value, viz., 5. cineraria (well 

252 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

known under the name of Dusty Miller), a perennial, quite hardy 
except in cold, wet soils, with silvery leaves and clusters of yellow 
flowers, and of which there is an excellent strain, with leaves of 
peculiar whiteness, called candidissima ; and 5. elegans, a half- 
hardy annual, which may be had in dwarf form, about i foot high, 
with fine double flowers in various colours. S. japonicus is a large, 
handsome plant, growing some 5 feet high and bearing, in autumn, 
large flowers of a fine orange colour, but it needs much moisture and 
is chiefly suited for growing on the banks of a stream or pond; while 
5. pulcher, though a hardy perennial, is so easily defaced by incle- 
ment weather that it requires much protection. 

SIDALCEA. Though usually classed as a hardy perennial, a 
frequent renewal from seed is advisable, and plants grown from 
seed sown in the open in autumn generally do better and bloom 
earlier than those raised by spring sowing in heat. As a class the 
Sidalceas merit attention, being easy of culture, profuse in bloom and 
excellent for cutting. 5. Candida, with large white flowers on stems 
some 2 feet high, is a good kind, and has a variety called Rosy 
Gem with rose-coloured flowers. 5. Listen is equally good with its 
spikes of fringed pinkish flowers, while 5. Murrayana is useful for 
its dwarf growth, and bears flowers of deep red colour. 

SILENE {Catchfly). As a hardy annual Silene can be used very 
effectively for early summer display from seed sown in autumn, but 
it needs a light, dry soil for its successful culture. 5. Armeria is a 
handsome variety, with good foliage and fine heads of white or pink 
flowers of aromatic scent. It sows itself readily in congenial soil 
and is well suited for the Wild Garden. S. pendula, in its many 
forms and colours, is valuable as a bedding plant, especially in the 
compacta section and double-flowered strains. 5. alpestris is a 
hardy perennial, a compact Alpine plant which may be grown from 
seed sown in autumn. Quite early in summer it is covered with 
glistening white flowers and may be freely used in the Rock Garden. 
5. acaulis is another Alpine plant, growing in firm tufts of beautiful 
light green in which appear masses of pink or crimson flowers. 5. 
Schajta is a useful variety for late summer flowering — a hardy 
perennial spreading into tufts 5 or 6 inches high and bearing 
from July to September large flowers of reddish purple. 

SNAPDRAGON. See Antirrhinum. 

SNOWDROP. See Galanthus. 

SNOWFLAKE. See Leucojum. 

253 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

SOLANUM. Of this large family there are two or three varieties 
which should be mentioned here — 5, capsicastrum, for instance, 
its bright orange-red berries rendering it a favourite plant for table 
or greenhouse decoration during the winter months. It can easily 
be raised from seed, and by sowing in heat in February and harden- 
ing the seedlings in the open during the summer good bushy pot- 
plants may be obtained for bearing berries during the winter in the 
greenhouse. S. jasminoides, with its pretty sprays of white flowers, 
is useful as a greenhouse climber, blooming throughout the greater 
part of the year under such protection, and in the mild climate of our 
southern counties thriving and blooming in the open, especially 
when trained against a wall with a southern aspect. But S. Wend- 
landi is, perhaps, the finest of the Solanum climbers, and planted 
in the greenhouse in a bed of moist, rich soil it makes a noble plant, 
blooming profusely, through most of the summer, in large drooping 
clusters of soft lilac-blue. 

SOLIDAGO {Golden Rod). A hardy perennial of too coarsely 
vigorous a growth to be suitable for the garden border, but useful 
for the Wild Garden and waste places. There are many varieties 
of which S. odor a, with comparatively delicate growth and fragrant 
flowers of deep yellow, is one of the best; while S. Buckleyi, with 
leaves of bluish-green and flowers of orange colour, is of value from 
its dwarf habit. 

SOLOMON'S SEAL. See Polygon atum. 

SPARAXIS. A very useful bulb for early summer flowering, 
and hardy enough for open-air culture in warm districts and sheltered 
positions. The best-known varieties are 5. grandi flora and 5. 
tricolor, growing about i foot high and bearing showy flowers in 
colours varying from white to several shades of red. 5. pulcherrima, 
though a member of this family, has distinctive features — tall, 
slender stems several feet high, graced with pendulous bell-shaped 
flowers of reddish-purple, which in some strains are finely striped 
and verge into white. It requires a particularly sheltered position, 
and when once planted should not be moved. 

SPECULARIA {Venus' s Looking-glass). A hardy free-flowering 
annual, resembling a Campanula, with open beU-shaped flowers in 
various colours — white, blue, lilac and purple. There are some 
pretty dwarf forms, with both white and violet-blue flowers, well 
suited for the Rock Garden. Although an annual it often becomes 
practically a perennial by self-sown seed. 

254 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

SPEEDWELL. See Veronica. 

SPHENOGYNE. This is a large family, but S. speciosa is the 
only kind that need be mentioned here. It is usually classed as a 
hardy annual and will succeed when sown in the open in spring ; but 
^'t is more wisely treated as half-hardy by sowing in heat in March 
md transplanting in due course into light soil. It is of slender but 
Dushy growth, after the style of a Marguerite, and bears yellow 
tlowers with dark centres ringed with black. 

SPIRAEA. Either as a border perennial or as a dwarf shrub the 
Spiraea is valuable, being hardy, simple of culture, of good form and 
of pleasing variety in the colour of its flowers. Among the herbace- 
ous varieties S. aruncus (Goat's-beard), a perennial of vigorous 
growth, 3 or 4 feet high, is useful both for its foliage and its 
graceful plumes of flowers. It is hardy enough to thrive in any 
ordinary soil but does best in deep moist loam. 5. lohata is another 
hardy plant, growing from 2 to 3 feet high and bearing beauti- 
ful clusters of pink flowers. In the shrub kind there are many 
beautiful varieties, such as 5. hypericifolia, with its tall, slender 
tems arching under its clusters of white flowers; S. discolor, with 
eautiful panicles of creamy- white flowers; S. confusa, the compact 
little shrub often grown in the greenhouse in pots for early spring 
flowering; and S. japonica, growing about 3 feet high with flat 
clusters of pinky-red flowers. Of this species there are several good 
forms, such as Bumalda, of dwarf growth and rose-tint flowers; 
splendens, with flowers of yellowish pink; and FrcBheli, of value for 
its early flowers of fine claret colour. In cultivation of the Spiraea 
it should be borne in mind that it is a moisture-loving plant and needs 
space in which to display its full beauty. 

SQUILL. See Scilla. 

STAR OF BETHLEHEM. See Ornithogalum. 

STATICE {Sea Lavender). Some of the smaller kinds of this 
family are useful for the Rock Garden, such as S. minuta and minuti- 
flora, and 5. incana, of compact and dwarf habit, growing about 
8 or 10 inches high and with flowers in several colours. 5. 
latifolia is, perhaps, the best of the larger kind — a hardy perennial 
some 18 inches high, with wide - spreading stems and large 
panicles of lavender-coloured flowers. Another good variety is S. 
Suworowi (sometimes called Candelabrum), a hardy annual growing 
about I foot high, with flowers of soft rose-colour, to be had, also, 
in crimson and white. Most of the Statices bear their flowers in 

255 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

large sprays, which are useful as " everlastings," as they retain their 
colour well when cut and dried. 

STENACTIS. See Erigeron. 

STEPHANOTIS. There are several species of this genus, but 
S. floribunda is the only one in general cultivation. It makes an 
excellent climber in the greenhouse, producing fine clusters of wax- 
like, sweet-scented white flowers. Planted in a well-drained bed 
of good loam it will thrive without much attention in a cool house, 
and may be propagated by cuttings made in spring from the previous 
year's wood. 

STERNBERGIA. A hardy bulb, blooming either in autumn 
or spring, according to kind, and well fitted by the firm texture of 
its flowers to withstand the assaults of the weather. A light sandy 
loam is the soil best suited for it, and it should be left undisturbed, 
if possible, throughout the summer, so as to allow it to ripen for the 
next flowering. 5. colchiciflora is a variety which blooms in autumn, 
though the leaves appear in spring. It bears flowers of pale yellow 
colour and sweet fragrance. 5. lutea, which is supposed by some to 
be the Lily of the Field of the Bible, is also autumn-flowering; 5. 
augustifolia is a more vigorous and free-flowering form of that species; 
while S. Fischeriana chiefly differs by flowering in spring instead of 
autumn. The handsomest of the family is 5. macrantha, sending 
up fine broad leaves during the summer and coming into bloom in 
autumn with flowers of brilliant yellow. 

ST JOHN'S WORT. See Hypericum. 

STOCK. {See also Mathiola.) It may be convenient in these 
notes to divide Stocks into three groups — the Ten- Week Stocks, the 
Intermediate or East Lothian Stocks, and the Brompton and Queen 
Stocks. The Ten- Week Stocks are half-hardy annuals and should 
be sown in shallow pans or boxes under glass, during the latter half 
of March, in good sandy loam, and the seedlings transplanted as 
soon as they Avill bear it into light, friable soil. Care should be 
taken to sow thinly, and every endeavour made to give the plants a 
hardy constitution ; and this being done they may be expected to 
flower continually throughout the summer and autumn. The 
German growers have produced an immense variety of kinds, in 
which there are some good distinctive colours, such as crimson, 
purple, and white, while the English strain, known as P5n:amidal, 
is excellent both in form and colour and is valuable for providing 
autumn-flowering sorts. The Intermediate or East Lothian Stocks 

256 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

are half-hardy annuals of dwarf and bushy habit and very free- 
blooming. They are often used for indoor decoration in spring, and 
by sowing in pots in August or early September, and protecting the 
young plants in a cold frame during the winter, they will be ready to 
bloom indoors in March or April, if assisted by a little manure water 
or a top-dressing of rich soil. In this group, as in the others, there 
are many beautiful strains, embracing colours of crimson, scarlet, 
purple and white. The Brompton and Queen Stocks are char- 
acterized by their large spikes of bloom and make an effective dis- 
play during May and June. In mild districts and in a warm soil 
they may be raised successfully by sowing in the open i July, but 
it is safer to sow in seed-pans and keep the seedlings under shelter 
until they are an inch or two high, when they may be transplanted 
to the border where they are to winter. This transplanting may 
produce a slight check which is not undesirable, as rapid growth 
at this season is apt to make the young plants too soft and succulent 
to endure the winter. The colours in both these Stocks are purple, 
scarlet and white, and in the Brompton variety there is also a car- 
mine flower. 

STONECROP. See Sedum. 
SUNFLOWER. See Helianthus. 
SWEET PEA. See Lathyrus Odoratus. 
SWEET SULTAN. See Centaurea. 
SWEET WILLIAM. See Dianthus. 

TAGETES. Under this name come the beautiful African and 
French Marigolds, half-hardy annuals of much value for making a 
fine display of bloom in late summer. T. erecta, the African variety, 
produces large bushy plants with flowers of intense orange and yellow 
in various shades. The flowers may be either double or single, as 
it seems impossible to reproduce the double form with any certainty. 
T. patula, the French Marigold, has several forms, the larger sort 
being somewhat coarse in growth, though producing a fine display 
of bloom, especiaUy in the double and striped kinds; but the dwarf 
form, growing about 9 inches high, is very useful as a bedding 
plant and remarkably profuse in flowering. T. signata is another 
variety of the French Marigold, with small flowers and elegantly- 
cut leaves, and its strain called pumila is a dwarf form with either 
orange-yellow or " golden-ring " flowers. Marigolds love a sunny 
position, are weU able to sustain drought, and will thrive in a poor 
R 257 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

soil. Seed should be sown under glass in March and the seedlings 
planted out in the usual way. 

TEASEL. See Dipsacus. 

THALICTRUM. A family of hardy perennials of which some 
dwarf kinds are very useful for the Rock Garden, such as T. anemon- 
oides, only a few inches high and bearing large white flowers in April 
and May; it needs a moist soil and a shady position. T. adianti- 
foUuni is valuable for its beautiful foliage, which resembles the- 
Maiden-hair Fern and is not only useful for cutting but also as a 
border edging; while T. aquilegifolium, and its variety purpureum, 
are fine tall plants, 3 or 4 feet high, with graceful fern-like 
foliage and ball-like flower heads. Both are quite hardy and will 
grow vigorously in almost any soil. 

THRIFT. See Armeria. 

THUNBERGIA. A half-hardy annual often used in green- 
houses as a dwarf climber, but valuable also as an outdoor climber 
in summer. It grows some 4 or 5 feet high, and its slender, 
elegant stems are covered with bloom throughout the summer. 
There are various strains of colour, from white to many shades of 
orange and yeUow. Seed should be sown in heat in March and the 
seedlings for outdoor culture planted out in May in rich, light soil. 

TIGRIDIA. See Ferraria. 

TOAD-FLAX. See Linaria. 

TOBACCO PLANT. See Nicotiana. 

. TORCH-FLOWER. See Kniphofia. 

TORENIA. A greenhouse annual well suited for hanging 
baskets, etc., by which means its trailing stems and flowers are seen 
to the best advantage. There are no better varieties than T. 
Bailloni, with its flowers of beautiful golden yellow, and T. Four- 
nieri, with its hooded flowers of pale blue spotted with indigo blue, 
with which may be included its white variety called White Wings. 
They are easily raised from seed sown in a warm temperature in 
March or April in ordinary compost, the seedlings being pricked out 
singly in due course. 

TRILLIUM. A wood-lily of which there are several varieties, 
that called grandiflorum being the only one of much value for 
the garden. It grows about 9 inches high, bearing large three- 

258 




A WOODLAND BOG GARDEN. 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

petalled flowers of pure white, and though a free-growing plant its 
beautiful foliage of soft green requires a moist and shady position. 

TRITELEIA-UNIFLORA. A charming spring-flowering bulb, 
producing in April a profusion of violet-tinted white flowers which 
open only in bright sunshiny days and close in dull weather. It 
will thrive in almost any soil, though preferring a light one, and is 
well adapted for culture in pots or in the Rock Garden. The bulbs 
should be planted in autumn about 2 inches deep. 

TRITOMA. See Kniphofia. 

TRITONIA. See Montbretia. 

TROLLIUS {Globe-flower). A handsome, early-flowering per- 
ennial whose deep roots delight in a rich, moist soil. T. europceus, 
known as the Mountain Globe-flower, and under several other names, 
is a fine variety with many forms, of which albtts, with flowers of 
creamy-white, and superbus, with large flowers of pale yellow, are 
excellent. T. asiacticus, the Orange Globe-flower, is particularly 
hardy, and has also several forms, with flowers of deep orange colour, 
but less globular in form than those of T. europceus. 

TROP^OLUM {Nasturtium). Perhaps the most important 
and certainly the most generally-cultivated strain is the Tom Thumb 
or dwarf Nasturtium, a hardy annual which will thrive in any soil 
— in a poor soil it makes less leaf and blooms more freely — which 
flowers longer and more continuously, and produces a greater variety 
of rich colouring, superb when seen in masses, than almost any other 
annual, while all the attention the plants need throughout the 
summer is the removal of the faded flowers so as to prevent the forma- 
tion of seed-pods. Among the climbers T. speciosum, the Flame 
Nasturtium, with its graceful growth and brilliant vermilion flowers, 
stands pre-eminent ; but though grown freely in the north it is seldom 
seen in our southern counties. Though quite a hardy perennial, 
it cannot endure hot sun and dry air, but if planted in a northern 
aspect, or, better still, in a western aspect, and shaded by trees or 
bushes, it will thrive and bloom freely — a suitable position, rather 
than any particular soil, is its chief requirement. The choice of a 
suitable position is important, too, for the display of its full beauty ; 
none can be better than to allow it to trail down the sides of a rough 
bank or up the uneven face of a stone wall. T. Lobbianum is another 
fine climber — an annual — with hairy foliage and flowers in various 
shades of scarlet, orange and yellow; while T. majus is a similar 

259 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

variety but lacking the hairiness in foHage. T. perigrinum or 
canariense is the well-known Canary Creeper, a distinct variety and 
a half-hardy annual, needing a rich soil and sowing under glass. 
T. tuberosum is another distinct variety, tuberous-rooted and usually 
confined to the greenhouse, as in the open it flowers so late that it is 
often spoiled by the frost. It is a graceful trailing plant, producing 
showy flowers of scarlet and yellow, and in the house the tubers may 
be started at any time from September to March. In the open the 
tubers should be planted in spring and lifted in autumn for storage 
in a dry place. It will flourish in the poorest of soils. 

TUBEROSE. See Polianthes. 

TULIP. For brilliancy in colour and vivid eftect in the garden 
the Tulip is unsurpassed, especially when a large number of the self- 
coloured varieties are massed together; while by a judicious planting 
of different kinds, beginning with the early-flowering Due van Thol 
and ending with the Gesners, a long-continued display may be ob- 
tained. Tulips thrive in any good soil, though succeeding best in 
that which is rich and sandy and well drained. The bulbs should 
be planted in October or November, about 6 inches apart and 4 
or 5 inches deep, and may either be lifted as soon as the stems 
begin to fade and stored for the summer, or allowed to remain in 
the ground, unless the soil is cold and wet, for two or three years, 
after which they should be lifted, or they will be apt to produce 
small flowers. The early varieties are known collectively as 
" Dutch." and include many named sorts of much beauty, such as 
Ophir d'Or, of a beautiful yellow colour and fine globe shape; La 
Matelas, pink and white; Couleiir de Cardinal, crimson; and Van 
de Mer, purple — all single. Among the double kinds the following 
are excellent — William III., orange scarlet; Voltaire, crimson; 
and Rose Blanche, white. The self-coloured Darwin Tulips are an 
important section of the late-flowering kinds, being handsome 
plants some 2 to 3 feet high, with massive, weather - resisting 
bloom and remarkably hardy and vigorous. Among the named 
sorts may be mentioned Negro, of dark chocolate colour; Harry 
Veitch, purple and black; Dorothy, rose and white; Flambeau, 
scarlet; and Zephyr, pinkish-lilac and white. The Parrot Tulips 
are remarkable for the quaint shapes and fringed petals of their 
flowers, spattered with crimson and yellow and veined in various 
colours. Among the named kinds are Cramoisi, deep crimson with 
dark markings; Markgraaf, orange and scarlet; and Perfecta, 
golden yellow with scarlet stripe. As a pot-plant the Tulip is of 

260 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

great value, and the early-flowering kind, such as Due Van Thol in 
all its varieties, are best adapted for this purpose, as they are of 
dwarf growth and take kindly to a raised temperature. But Tulips 
should not be given a high temperature, and plunging is generally 
the most satisfactory method of forcing. The wild Tulips are a 
distinct class from the garden varieties, and among them are many 
kinds well suited for the Rock Garden, such as T. sylvestris, the 
British species, useful also for planting in grass and bearing frag- 
rant flowers of pale yellow edged with red; 2". montana, only about 
6 inches high, with red or yellow flowers; T. nitida, of elegant 
dwarf growth, with flowers of bright scarlet spotted black; and T. 
alberti, of low-growing, trailing habit, with red flowers splashed with 
yellow and edged with black. Finally it may be remarked that the 
enormous range of varieties in the Tulip — it has been cultivated 
in Europe for more than 350 years — renders it impossible to give 
more than a cursory description in these notes. 

VALERIAN. See Centranthus. 

VALLOTA-PURPUREA. A handsome bulbous plant of the 
AmaryUis type, with flowers of bright, deep scarlet, sufficiently 
hardy to be grown out of doors in mild districts and useful as a pot- 
plant in a cool greenhouse. The bulbs should be planted in good 
firm loam and are considered to flower more freely when pot-bound. 
As soon as growth begins in spring they should be watered freely 
and receive an occasional dose of liquid manure, and even through 
the winter they should not be allowed to get dry. 

VENIDIUM. V. calendulaceiim is best treated as a half-hardy 
annual, sowing in heat in March and planting out in May in friable 
soil. It is a pretty little plant of spreading habit, making a good 
display in summer with yellow Marigold-like flowers, and is useful 
for the Rock Garden or for border edgings. 

VENUS'S LOOKING-GLASS. See Specularia. 

VERBASCUM {Mullein). A family of stately plants which, 
though biennial, are practically perennial by self-sowing and are 
most effective when massed in bold groups, to which their fine stems 
and dense flower spikes well lend themselves. V. phlomoides is one 
of the best, growing 6 to 9 feet high with splendid spikes of 
yellow flowers and continuing long in bloom; moreover, it will 
thrive in almost any soil, though a rich soil will produce a finer 
growth. V. olympicum is another sturdy variety, with flowers of 

261 



A YEAR'S GARDENING 

rich yellow and bold woolly leaves; while V. cupreum, though smaller 
and more slender, has the peculiarity of copper-coloured flowers. 
There are many other named kinds, such as Pannosum, Blattaria, 
Boerhavi, etc. 

VERBENA. A half-hardy perennial of which there are many 
fine varieties brilliant in colour, excellent in habit, and of long con- 
tinuance in bloom. An objection to the cultivation of the Verbena 
is its liability to disease, but in this connection it is well to bear in 
mind that it will not tolerate excessive heat. Indeed, in a favourable 
season, the Verbena may be raised from seed sown in the open in 
March on a weU-prepared bed, though probably the wiser method 
is to sow in boxes (in March) put into a frame, the seedlings being 
pricked out and potted as soon as large enough, and transferred to 
a cool house until ready for planting out towards the end of May. 
A well-manured, well-dug, sweet soil is essential for their welfare and 
will do much to preserve them from disease, to which, indeed, seed- 
raised plants are less liable than those grown from cuttings. More- 
over, there is no difficulty in obtaining seed which will come true to 
colour, such as white, purple, violet, rose, pink and scarlet, the last 
named being especially good in colour and free in growth. 

VERBENA (Sweet). 5ge Aloysia. 

VERONICA {Speedwell). A very large family embracing three 
distinct groups, viz., large shrubby plants, vigorous perennials, and 
hardy dwarf plants. Most of the dwarf kind are well suited for the 
Rock Garden, such, for instance, as V. prostrata, spreading itself in 
tufts only a few inches high and covered with a mass of deep-blue 
flowers, and with varieties in either pink or white. V. repens is 
another beautiful dwarf form, with foliage of bright green and flowers 
of pale blue; while V. spicata is of somewhat bolder growth, with a 
profusion of dark blue flowers lasting a long time. Among the per- 
ennial kinds suitable for the garden border are V. longifolia-sub- 
sessilis, a handsome plant some 3 feet high with large flov/er 
spikes of rich blue; and V. gentianoides, which flowers as early as 
May and which may be had in different forms. 

VINCA [Periwinkle). A hardy trailing perennial, an evergreen 
vigorous in growth and indifferent as to soil. As a covering for rough 
banks or for patches of ground made bare by the shade and drip 
from trees it is very useful. V. major is the common Periwinkle, 
with glossy leaves and mauve-blue flowers; while V. minor is of 
smaller and neater growth and has varieties in the form of a white 

262 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

flower and variegated foliage. V. acutiloba is a distinct variety 
blooming in late autumn and producing flowers of delicate mauve. 

VIOLET. The Sweet Violet {Viola odorata) thrives in any 
ordinary garden soil, and in ground that is very richly manured it is 
apt to produce more leaves than flowers, though in light sandy soil 
a liberal amount of decayed cow manure and leaf mould is desirable 
to keep the ground moist, for moisture and moderate shade are 
essential for successful cultivation of the Violet. For outdoor 
culture of Violets a sunny aspect, well shaded by deciduous trees, 
is excellent, the object being to gain shade for the plants during 
summer and as much sun as possible during the winter and early 
spring. Violets increase rapidly by means of runners, and a limited 
number of plants should be allowed thus to propagate themselves 
for future stock; but with the remainder the runners should be 
nipped off during the summer, so as to produce strong individual 
clumps giving abundant flowers on long stems. The plants which 
have been allowed to make runners should be lifted and divided in 
September, rejecting hard and wiry runners and retaining only 
those which are well fibred, the plants thus formed being transplanted 
into a properly-prepared bed. They should not be permitted to 
flower in the following spring (any buds showing should be pinched 
out) and during the summer leaf-growth should be encouraged by 
a slight mulching of manure. By the following spring, if the runners 
are duly picked off and the ground kept free from weeds, the plants 
will scarcely fail to yield a good crop of bloom. To secure the winter 
flowering of Violets is not difficult. The plants should be removed 
early in September to a frame placed in a sunny position, giving 
them plenty of air but guarding them from frost — heat is unneces- 
sary — and thus treated bloom may be obtained in November and 
onwards throughout the winter by a succession of different varieties. 
The single kinds are generally considered the best for outdoor culti- 
vation, though the double Marie Louise and the late-flowering 
Lady Himie Campbell will both be found useful, together with 
Princess of Wales, Victoria Regina, The Czar and La France. For 
frame culture the Neapolitan kind are still much used, though there 
are some better newer sorts, such, for instance, as Marie Louise, 
already mentioned, while the old Double Blue is beautiful with its 
fine full flowers, even if its stems are rather short. Some forms of 
the Violet are well adapted for the Rock Garden, such as Viola 
pedata, the Bird's-foot Violet, of compact growth and with large 
handsome flowers of lilac, purple or blue ; and Viola biflora, the two- 

263 



A YEARS GARDENING 

flowered yellow Violet, which will find its way between the chinks 
and crevices of the rocks and clothe them with its bright, star-like 
flowers. 

VIRGINIAN STOCK. A hardy annual which will thrive in 
any soil and which by its dwarf habit is well adapted for border 
edgings or as a surface plant among tall flowers. Although it may 
be sown in spring, as other annuals, it flowers more effectively when 
autumn sown. There are several forms, and that called Crimson 
King, with flowers of rich rose-crimson, is one of the best, while in 
the white-flowered kind alha-nana, of very dwarf growth, is good. 

VISCARIA. A hardy annual growing about i foot in height, 
with flowers of brilliant colour ranging from crimson to pink, blue 
and white. It is a showy plant well suited for the border, and there 
is a dwarf variety which is good. The kind named oculata is remark- 
able for the colour of its flowers — a peculiar metallic-lilac tint. 

WALLFLOWER. See Cheiranthus. 

WHITLAVIA. The hardy annual W. grandiflora is useful in 
the open border, and seed may be sown either in spring or autumn. 
It grows about i foot high and bears fine bell-shaped flowers of 
dark purple. 

WHORL FLOWER. See Morina. 

WIND FLOWER. See Anemone. 

WINTER ACONITE. See Eranthis. 

WINTER CHERRY. See Physalis. 

WOODRUFF. See Asperula. 

XERANTHEMUM. A free-growing hardy annual, one of 
the prettiest of the " Everlastings," growing from 12 to 18 
inches high and bearing an abundance of white, purple or rose- 
coloured flowers, either double or single. There is a compact dwarf 
variety called Tom Thumb. 

ZAUSCHNERIA. A perennial of graceful drooping habit with 
an abundance of bright vermilion or scarlet flowers, and often known 
by the name of Californian Fuchsia. In a warm soil and a sheltered 
position it will endure the winter, and even in colder places it needs 
only a slight protection. If planted so as to allow its drooping form 
to be exhibited to advantage its bright flowers are very effective 

264 



LIST OF FLOWERS 

during late summer and autumn. Z. calif or nica (vermilion) and 
Z. splendens (scarlet) are the two best-known varieties, 

ZINNIA. A half-hardy annual which has been much improved 
of late years and now ranks as one of the most effective of our bed- 
ding plants, especially the double varieties, which are of dwarfer 
and more compact growth than the singles, and with stems less 
liable to get damaged — an important point. The flowers have a 
wide range of colour, comprising many shades of scarlet, crimson, 
purple, orange, yellow and white, and their brilliance is little affected 
by inclement weather. But the plant itself is delicate and needs a 
sheltered, sunny situation, and should not be bedded out before 
June nor the seeds sown before the first week in April, even in heat, 
for the seedlings do not transplant very easily if they are too fully 
grown. Sowing may be made in the open about the middle of May, 
and a good display may be obtained by this method. A rich, fine 
soil and a sunny, sloping border (for drainage is essential) should be 
prepared and three or four seeds dropped in together at distances 
of 12 to 15 inches apart, the seedhngs being eventually thinned 
out to one at each spot. 



265 



INDEX 



Aconite (Window Boxes), iiS 

,, \N\ntex {Spring Garden), 114 
Aconitum (IVild Garden), 112 
Alpine Garden, 107 

,, {artificial elevations^), 

108 
,, {Site, choice and pi'e- 

paration of), 108 
,, {soil'), 109 

Alpine Plants (essential needs), 107 

,, {nattiral conditions), 107 

Alyssum, yellow {Rock Garden), 109 

,, {Spring Garden), 114 

American Blight, 142 

,, Cowslip (Dodecaiheon), 200 
Amoor Pink (Dianihits), 199 
Antmons (Spring Garden), 114 

,, (Wild Garden), 11-^ 
Ants (Destroyers and Fe sis), 143 
Aphis (Destroyers and Pests), 143 
Apple (Frttit Trees), 134 
Apricot {Fruit Trees), 133 
AY>xi\ {Vegetable Garden), 155 
Arabis, White (Rock Gardeti), 109 
,, ,, (Spring Garden), 114 

,, V)o\i!o\Q {for Ttibs), 119 
Artichokes {Globe), 156, 164, 166, 170 
55 {Jefitsalein), 150, 153, 156; 

Asparagus, 148, 153, 156, 159, 162, 

164, 166, 167, 169, 170 
Aster ( Window Boxes), 119 
Aubretia, Vm-pX^ {Rock Garden), no 
August ( Vegetable Garden), 165 
Auricula {Spring Garden), 114 
Azaleas (for Tubs), 119 

,, (Spring Garden), 11^ 

Bachelor's Button {Spring Garden), 

114 
Balm, 160 

, , of Gilead {Dracocephalum), 200 



Balsams ( Wittdow Boxes), 118 
Bamboo {Bambusa), 182 
Baneberry {Actcea), i'ja^ 
Beans, 148, 150, 153, 156, 159, 162, 

164, 166, 169, 170 
Bee Flower {Arabis), 179 
,, Orchids (Alpine Garden), 109 
,, Plant (Anchusa), 177 
Beet, 153, 156, 159, 164, 170 
Begonias { Window Boxes), 118 
Belladonna Lily (Amaryllis), \TJ 
Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis), 234 
Bindweed, Blue (Wall Garden), 

III 
Birds (Destroyers and Pests), 140 
Black - snake - root {Cimicifugd), 

191 
Blight, American {Destroyers and 

Pests), 142 
Bog Pimpernel (Angalis), 177 
Bowls for Bulbs, 119 
Bridal Wreath (Francoa), 205 
Broccoli, 151, 153, 156, 159, 162, 164, 

166, 167, 169, 170, 172 
Broom (Spring Garden), 114 
Brunswick Green {for Tubs), 119 

, , {for Window Boxes), 

117 
Brussels Sprouts, 153. 156, 159, 166, 

167, 17; 

Bugbane ( C?>;«'«y«^a), 191 
Bulbs {for Window Boxes), 118 

,, in Bowls, 119 

,, ,, (method of growirig), 

119 

,, ,, {storage), 1 20 

,, ,, (ivatering), 20 

, , ( Spring Garden ) , XI 4 
Burning Bush [Fraxtnella), 205 
Bush Fruit, 136 
Buttercup {5^r?«§ Garden), 114 



267 



INDEX 



Cabbage, 148, 151, 154, 156, 159, 162, 

164, 166, 167, 169, 171 
Calceolarias (^Window Boxes), 118 
Californian Bush Poppy (Romneya- 

couiteri), 246 
Candytuft {Spring Garden), 114 
Cape Figwort (Phygelijis), 239 

,, Gooseberry (Phy salts), 240 

,, Jessamine ( Carif^wja), 207 

,, Marguerite [Gerbera), 208 
Capsicums, 159, 162 
Cardoons, 154, 160, 164, 166, 167, 169, 

171 
Carnations ( WittdoTv Boxes), 118 
Carrots, 148, 151, 156, 160, 162, 164, 

166, 167, 169, 171 
Cats {Destroyers and Pests), 141 
Cauliflowers, 148, i^i, 154, 157, 160, 

162, 164, 166, 168, 169, 171 
Celery, 154, 157, 160, 162, 164, 166, 

168, 169, 171, 172 
Cheddar-pink ( Wall Garden), 1 1 1 
Cherry {Frztit Trees), 133 
Chervil, 157, 160 
Chicory, 157, 162, 172 
Chinese Bellflower {Platycodon), 240 
,, Lantern {Physalis), 240 
,, Primrose {Prinuila-Shtensis), 

243 
Chrysanthemums ( Wz'wy/^k; Boxes), 119 
Clean Cutting {Fruit Trees), 135 
Columbine {Spring Garden), 1 14 
Coral Tree {Erythrina), 203 
Cosmos {Cosrnea), 195 
Cowslip {Spring Garden), 114 
Cranesbill {Geraniiun), 208 
Creeping Forget-me-not {Omphalodes), 

234 

,, Jenny {for Tubs), 119 
Cress, 149, 160, 16S 
Cretan Mullein {Celsia), 188 
Crocuses {for Bowls), 119 

,, {Spring Garden), w/^ 

,, {Wild Garden), W^ 

,, {Window Boxes), 118 
Crown Imperial {Fritillarid), 205 
Cucumbers, 149, 154, 157, 160, 162, 

166, 172 
Cups and Saucers {Cobaa), 193 
Currant, Black {Bush Fruit), 138 

,, Flowering {Spring Garden), 
114 



Currant, Red and White (Bush Fruit), 

138 
Cuttings {Bush Fruit), 136 
Cypripedium {Alpine Garden), 109 

Daddy-long-legs {Destroyers and 

Pests), 143 
Daffodils {for Bowls), 1 19 
,, {Spring Gardeti), 1 14 
,, {Wild Garden), 113 
,, {Window Boxes), 1 18 
Day Lily {Hemerocallis), 213 
December ( Vegetable Garden), 171 
Deutzia {Spring Garden), 114 
Devil-in-a-Bush {Nigelia), 232 
Dragon's Head {Dracocephalum), 200 

Earwigs {Destroyers and Pests), 144 
Edelweiss {Leontopodium), 220 
Endive, 157, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 

169, 171, 172 
Eunonymous ( Window Boxes), 118 
Everlasting, Winged {Atnmobium), 177 
Everlastings {Acrolinium), 174 
,, {Helichrysu7n), 212 

,, {Rhodanthe), 245 

,, {Statice), 256 

,, (Xeranthemum), 264 

Fairy Forget-me-not {Eritrichium), 
202 
,, Wallflower {Erysimum), 203 
February {Vegetable Gardeti), 150 
Ferns {for Tubs), 119 
Flag {Iris), 217 
Flame-flower {Kniphofia), 218 
Flax {Linum), 223 

Forget-me-nots {Spring Gardeti), 114 
,, {Wild Garden), III 

,, {Window Boxes), 118 

French Honeysuckle {Hedysaruni), 211 
Fruit Destroyers and Garden Pests, 140 
Fruit Trees {characteristics), 133 

,, {damage of deep digging), 

129 
,, {differences), 131 

, , ( " oblique cordon " ) , 1 29 

,. {planting), 129 

„ {pruning), 130-131 

,, {renovation), 131 

,, {soil), 129 

,, {Standards), 132 



268 



INDEX 



Fruit Trees {thinning), 131 
,, {training), 130 

,, {wall trained), 12% 

Fuchsias {Jor Tubs), 119 

, , ( Window Boxes), 118 

Furze {Spring Garden), 114 

Garlic, 151, 164 
Genista (Spring Garden), 115 
Gentian {Gentiana), 207 
Geraniums (Window Boxes), 118 
Glacier Pink {Dianthus), 199 
Globe-flower (Trollius), 259 
Glory Pea {Clianthus), 193 
Goat's-beard (Spircea), 255 
Goat's Rue {Galega), 207 
Gold Dust (Alyssum), 176 
Golden Drop {Onosmd), 234 

,, Knapweed {Centurea), 1S9 
Gooseberry (Busk Fruit), 137 
Green-fly (Destroyers and Pests), 143 
Greengage {Fruit Trees), 133 
Ground Ivy {for Tubs), 119 

Harebell (Campanula), 187 

Harpalium (Helianthus), 212 

Hawthorn {Spring Garden), 114 

Heart's-ease (/lawjy), 235 

Heliotrope (Window Boxes), 118 

Herbs, 154, 160 

Heron's-bill (Erodium), 203 

Horned Poppy (Glaucium), 209 

Horseradish, 154, 160 

Hot Water as Insecticide (Destroyers 
and Pests), 146 

Hyacinths (yir jSow/j), 119 
,, {Spring Garden), 114 
, , ( Window Boxes), 1 18 

Indian Corn, 160 

,, Hemp (Cannabis), 187 
Iris (Spring Garden), 114 
Ivy Geraniums (Window Boxes), 118 

]ti.Vi\!A.^\ {Vegetable Gardett), 147 
July ( Vegetable Garden), 163 
June (Vegetable Garden), l6l 

Kingcups (Spring Garden), 114 
Knotweed (Polygonum), 242 



269 



Laburnum (Spring Garden), 114 
Lawns, 121 

,, {chalk sub-soil), 12'^ 

,, (mowing), 124 

,, (new growth), 123 

,, (poor soil), 125 

,, {^reparation of ground), \22 

,, (reneival), 125 

,, (rolling), 125 

,, (j-^Of^), 124 

,, (snow-covered), 125 

,, (sowing), 123 

,, (sulphuric acid), 126 

,, (turf or seed), 121 

,, (weeding), 126 

,, {worm casts), 127 
Leeks, 151, 154, 157, 162, 164, 171 
Lettuce, 149, 151, 154, 157, 160, 163, 

164, 166, 168, 169, 171, 172 
lA\3.c {Spring Garden), 1 14 
Lily of the Nile {Richardid), 245 
Linaria ( Wall Garden), III 
'Lo\>&\\2i {Window Boxes), 118 
Loosestrife {Wild Garden), 113 
Love-in-a-Mist {Nigelld), 232 
Lupin Tree {Wild Garden), 113 



Magnolia {Spring Garden), 1 14 
Maiden Pink {Dianthus), 199 
March (Vegetable Garden), 152 
Marguerites ( Window Boxes), 118 
Marjoram, 157, 160 
Mask-flower (Alonsoa), 175 
May ( Vegetable Garden), 158 
Meadow Saffron (Colchicum), 193 

,, (Bulbocodium), 184 

Melons, 154, 157, 160, 163 
Mexican Aster (Cosmea), 195 
Michaelmas Daisy (Wild Garden), 112 
Mignonette ( Window Boxes), 118 
Milkweed (PVild Garden), 112 
Milkworts (Alpine Garden), 109 
Mint, 157, 160 

Mocassin Flower (Cypripedium), 196 
Monkey Flower (Mimulus), 228 
Monkshood (Wild Garden), 112 
Morning Glory (Convolvuhis), 195 
Mnllein (Wild Garden), 113 
Mushrooms, 157, 163, 164 
Mustard, 149, 168 
Myrtles (/or TV/^j), 119 



INDEX 



T!iARCissvs {/or Bowh), 119 

^, (spring Garden). 114 

,, {Wild Garden), 113 

,, {Window Boxes), w?, 

Nasturtiums {Vegetable Garden), 160 

, , ( Window Boxes), 118 

Nature's Teaching (PFild Garden), 112 
Nectarine {Fruit Trees), 133 
Nemesia ( Window Boxes), 118 
lHoytxvLt^&x {Vegetable Garden), 170 

Oc\o-e,^v. {Vegetable Gardeit), 168 
Onions, 151, 154, 157, 161, 163, 164, 

166, 168, 169, 172 
Ornamental Pots, 119 
,, Tubs, 119 

Oxlip {Spring Garden), 1 14 

,, Primrose {Polyanthus), 241 

Paint {for Tubs), 119 

,, {for Window Boxes), Wj 
T&nsies {Spring Garden), 114 
Paris Daisy {Chrysanthemum), 190 
Parsley, 151, 158, 160, 165 
Parsnips, 151, 155, 158, 161, 169, 172 
Pasque-flower (^?ii5w^«if), 178 
Passion Flower {Passiflora), 237 
Peach {Fruit Trees), 12S et seq. 
Pear {Fruit Trees), 134 
Peas, 149, 151, 155, 158, 161, 163, 

165, 166, 169, 171, 172 
Peruvian Lily {Alsiramerid), 175 
Pests of the Garden, 140 
Petunias ( fF««ifi3H' Boxes), 118 
Pheasant's Eye (^(/('w?^), 174 
Pimpernel (/4w^a/w), 177 
Pinks ( Window Boxes), 118 
Plum {Fruit Trees), 134 
Plume Foppy {Bocconia), 183 
Polyanthus (5^rm^ Garden), 114 
Polypodiums ( Wall Garden), 1 1 1 
Pompons {Chrysanthemum), 190 
Poppy Mallow {Callirhoc), 1S6 
Potatoes, 149, 151, ISS) 158, i6i, 163, 

165, 168, 169, 171 
Pots {ornamental), 119 
Vx\xax<x,& { Rock Garden), no 
,, {Spring Garden), 11 1^ 
„ {Wild Garden), 113 
Privet {Window Boxes), 118 
Pyrus Japonica {Spring Garden), 115 



Radishes, 149, 152, 155, 158, 161, 

165, 168, 169 
Ragged Robin {Wild Garden), 113 
Rampion {Phyteumd), 240 
Ranunculus {Spring Garden), 114 
^2i.%p\iQtxy {Bush Fruit), 139 
Rhododendrons (6/)riM§ Garden), 114 
Rhubarb, 152, 155, 161 
Rock Camomile (^M//eew«5), 178 
,, Cress {Spring Garden), 114 
Rockfoil {Rock Garden), 109 
Rock Garden, 109 
,, ,, (General Principle), no 

,, ,, {Suburban), no 

,, „ {Suitable Plants), 109 

,, 'hlz.dyiort {Alyssum), 176 
,, Pink {Dianthtis), 199 
,, Rose (Cistus), 191 
'KodispTs.y {Cotoneaster), 195 
Root Pruning {Fruit Trees), 135 



Saffron {Bulbocodium), 184 

Sage, 157 

St Bernard's Lily {Anthericum), 178 

St Bruno's Lily {Anthericum), 178 

Salads, 168 

Salsify, 158 

Salvias {Window Boxes), 118 

Sand Verbena {Abronid), 173 

Sandwort {Arenaria), 179 

Savoys, 152, 161 

Saw-cuts {Fruit Trees), 135 

Saxifrage {for Tubs), 119 

,, {Rock Garden), 109 
Scarlet Daisy {Gerbera), 208 
?>c\\\2iS {for Bowls), 119 

,, {Spring Garden), 114 
Sea-kale, 149, 152, 155, 161, 163, 165, 

168, 170, 171, 172 
Sea Lavender {Statice), 255 
Sedum {Rock Garden), 109 
September ( Vegetable Garden), 167 
Shallots, 152, 164 

ShimmiaJaponica( Window Boxes), 1 18 
Shrubs, Flowering {Spring Garden), 114 

, , ( Window Boxes), 118 
Slugs and Snails {Destroyers and Pests), 

144 
Snake's-head {Fritillaria), 205 
Sneezewort {Achillea), 173 
Snowdrops {for Bowls), 119 



270 



INDEX 



Snowdrops {Spring Garden), 114 
,, {Wild Garden), \\i 

,, (window Boxes), iiS 

Snow Glory {CAionodoxa), 190 
Solanum ( Window Boxes), 1 18 
Speedwell (J?oci Garden), 1 10 
Spigelia {Alpine Garden), 109 
Spinach, 150, 152, 155, 158, 161, 165, 

166, 168, 170, 171 
Spleenwort (Asplenium), 180 
Spring Garden, 113 

,, ,, (^Suitable Plants), \\^ 

,, Meadow Saffron {Bulbocodium), 
184 
Star Primula {Primula- Sinensis), 244 
Starwort (^Michaelmas Daisy), 228 
Stocks {Window Boxes), 118 
Stonecrop (y2;r Ttibs), 119 

,, {Rock Garden), 109 
Strawberries, 150, 152, 155, 158, 167 
?>i\ix\.'s'P&z.{Clianikus), 193 
Sunflower, Perennial {Wild Garden), 

112 
Sun Rose {Helianthemum), 212 
Swan River Daisy {Brachycome), 184 
Sweet Alyssum {Alyssum), 176 
,, ¥\a.g{Acorus), 1"]^ 
,, Maudlin (^6-/?z7/(2«), 173 
,, YeThe.T\2L{Aloysia), ITS 
Syringa {Spring Garden), 114 



Tassel Flower {Cacalid), 1S5 
Thyme, 157, 160 

,, Wild {Rock Garden), 109 
Toad-flax ( Wall Garden), 1 1 1 
Tomatoes, 150, 161, 163, 165, 167, 

168, 170 
Transvaal Daisy {GcrbercC), 208 
Traveller's Joy {Clematis), 192 
Tree Lupine {Lnpinus), 225 
Trillium {Alpine Garden), 109 
Tropteolums ( Window Boxes), 1 1 8 
Trumpet Flower {Bignonid), 183 

,, ,, {Incarvillca), 216 

Tubs {Ornamental), 119 

,, {Paint for), 119 
Tulips {/or Bowls), 1 19 

,, {Spring Garden), 114 

,, {Window Boxes), I iS 
Turnips, 152, 155, 158, 161, 163, 165, 

167, 168, 171 



Valerian {Wall Garden), in 
, , ( PFild Garden), 113 

Vegetable Garden {January), 147 
,, ,, {Febmary), 150 

,, „ {March), 152 

,, ,, {April), 155 

„ {Alay), 158 
„ ,, {Jtme), 161 

{July), 163 
{August), 165 
,, ,, {September), 167 

,, ,, {October), 168 

,, ,, {November), 170 

,, ,, {December), 171 

,, Marrows, 155, 158, 161, 
163, 165 
Verbascum {Wild Garden), 113 
Veronica {Rock Garden), no 
Viola {Pansy), 235 
Violas, Alpine {Wall Garden), iii 

,, {Spring Garden), 114 
Violet (A W/^ Garden), no 
,, {Spring Garden), 114 
,, Cress {loftopsidium), 21^ 
Viper's Bugloss {Echium), 201 
Virginian Cowslip {Mertensia), 227 
Virgin's Bower {Clematis), 192 



Wall Erinus ( Wall Garden), 1 1 1 
Wallflowers {Spring Garden), 114 
, , ( Wall Garden), in 

,, {Window Boxes), \\% 

Wall Garden, no 

,, {Practical Benejit), III 

,, {Suitable Plants), III 

,, {Stiiiable Walls), in 

Wand Plant ( Galax), 207 
Wasps {Destroyers and Pests), 144 
Welsh Poppy {Meconopsis), 227 
Western Wallflower {Erysimutn), 203 
White Rock Cress {Arabis), 179 
Wild Garden, 112 

,, {Advantages), 113 

,, (^Nature's Lesson), 112 

,, {Province of), 112 

,, {Suitable Plants), 112 

Window Boxes {Daily Care), 117 
,, {Decoration), 117 

,, {How to Make), ii-j 

,, {in Autumn), 119 

,, {in Spring), 118 



271 



INDEX 



Window Boxes (in Summer), ii8 
,, (z« Winter), Ii8 

,, (Paint for), 1 17 

,, (Soil for), 117 

,, (Zitic Linings), 1 18 

Winged Everlasting (^Ammobiuni), 177 
Winter Aconite {Spring Garden), 1 14 
,, Cherry (Fhysalis), 239 
,, ,, (Window Boxes), 118 



Winter Greens, 165 

Wireworm (Destroyers and Pests), 145 

Wood Anemone (Anemone), 17S 

Woodbine (Lonicera), 225 

Wood Fern {Aspidiutn), 180 

Wood-lice {Destroyers and Pests), 146 

Wormwood (Artemisia), 180 

Zonal Pelargonium, 238 



COLSTOxNS LIMITED, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH 



*^„,.^,«,,p„.,^,..,«. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRjESS 

oQOD'^iSt'aan 




' 1 t'M'i-.f Ji'J" ' 

















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1 

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